In the Shadows
by FoxyG
Summary: Klaus is tracking down a terrorist in Los Angeles. Count D has a new client. Moved to the crossover category!
1. Dubious

Los Angeles was not quite giving its denizens the blistering heat it so often produced, and yet in the early spring between February and March, it was still quite warm. The smog and warmth mixed in the air and produced the acrid smell that most living there, at this point, were so used to that it was hardly intolerable compared to the dense smoke that filled the air in the summer months. The smog gave the four o'clock sky an orange glow as the sun was ready to make its descent.

Klaus had a massive headache. It was agitated by the beating heat, the glaring sun and the thick smell of pollution, and further more by his growling stomach and overall simmering irritation at the whole circumstance of his mission. He was in America, one of the countries he hated being in most out of all--second to perhaps England, though at that moment, he would have welcomed being in any part of the damned isle. Los Angeles to him so far had been like a glaring, ugly stain of land that hurt his eyes to look at.

The people all around him were fat slobs--even the children. Those who weren't tourists in shorts and t-shirts had smug looks on their tanned faces. He realized just where that asinine smugness came from; he had asked a man with piercing white teeth and bleached blond hair what freeway he had to take to get to the Los Angeles Police Department, and the man instead tried to make small talk about what celebrities Klaus could see along the way, and exactly who the man had seen himself.

Cars were packed onto the roads, and they stayed at a complete stop for what seemed like forever in traffic. The immense traffic allowed Klaus to further scan the city, and he found that LA perhaps was more a massive freeway than a city. The walls they would occasionally pass were dirtied with graffiti from top to bottom. He knew Los Angeles had a crime problem, and it was only made more obvious as he finally entered the city itself.

Outside the LAPD, a homeless man wandered around it, shirtless and toothless with a ragged beard. As he entered the building, he saw the department was full to bursting with activity. It was busy enough that he had to wait some time to even talk to someone, and then had to wait more when he was brushed off, his NATO presence apparently a second priority to the various criminals pouring in. Though the station was busy, he also felt it might have been the American--or, perhaps, distinctly Californian--lax way of procrastination. Those who spoke to him sounded far too relaxed or blatantly rude for his liking, either telling him to "chill out," or tersely telling him to sit down and wait as if he were a child.

As he brooded this, he and Z stood outside a restaurant in Chinatown, and had been doing so for at least half an hour.

"He's late," Klaus said through gritted teeth.

Z seemed to have to wake himself up a bit, but was quickly at attention, "Did he specify a time?" The Agent scratched his light blond head for a moment and stared at his watch blankly.

"He said four o'clock. Or, rather, those bumblers at the LAPD said four o'clock." Klaus began another cigarette, and in an attempt to mollify his irritation, asked Z for the case file. He scowled down at it. Bardolph Schaefer, a suspect of terrorist acts committed in Berlin. He had been under fierce watch by NATO, and as soon as he made the move to the United States, the FBI. He closed the file with a sigh. "Have A and B called in yet?"

Z perked up again and nodded, "They said they have more intel on Schaefer now. He apparently has been using false names from state to state--he goes by Lee Wolfgram, here."

"Who reported him missing?"

"Ted Mertz; we still have more to gather on him. All the agents here knew was that Schaefer had been living with him for a couple of months before he disappeared."

Klaus dropped his cigarette and stomped it on the ground. "He's probably just left the state again. He'd have to be an idiot not to know we've been trailing him all this time."

"Ja. Although, Mertz didn't report anything in particular. He only said that they had gotten into a dispute, and Schaefer--or should I say Wolfgram--disappeared for about three days before Mertz called in."

Klaus scoffed, crushing the cigarette box before he threw it into a nearby garbage bin. "Bloody balls up for the LAPD. They could've done a background check on him before plunging head first into an investigation. Should have been damn easy when the FBI had a list of names he uses."

"They probably didn't suspect they would have to, since he was the victim in this case."

"Our agents here had to call us. The LAPD should have done that themselves."

Their conversation fell, but Z took it up again a moment later, holding his chin, "Schaefer has always been under our watch. He can't have managed to simply disappear. We've never had enough to convict him of his crimes, but he's always been traceable enough to trail and keep track of."

"True enough. It says a damn lot when they need us to come in, that's for sure. He's either pulled something shrewd or there's foul play involved." Their conversation fell, and they allowed the crowd to overtake their silence.

Klaus scowled at the statue of the Chinese lion behind him, which scowled right back with snarling teeth. His stare wandered around Chinatown, keeping his eyes sharp for any sign of his contact. The area seemed to murmur with life as crowds of people walked the streets, the noise occasionally penetrated by a colorful language he did not immediately recognize, then realized it could only be Cantonese. He could smell the savory Chinese food, wafting out of the restaurant behind him. Some of the buildings around him boasted dark red or brown colors, with sloping roofs and ornate designs etched into their frames. Paper lanterns flew overhead on wires, without their glow as they wafted in the air. He watched as crowds of people walked into shops. He noticed that those shops often sold the same damn thing to the wide-eyed and gullible tourists, such as little figurines of Buddha or dragons, oriental looking dolls and Chinese wooden toys. Even the larger shops had them, only then even larger statues of Buddha or dragons.

Still, even if he knew it was all a tourist trap, the area did have a vibrance that the rest of Los Angeles, it seemed to him, seemed to lack. There was something distinctly synthetic about the Hollywood areas, and it was far too gritty in the entire rest of the city. Chinatown seemed to have more authenticity, at least, whenever he saw a Chinese man with crooked teeth pass by or heard irate Cantonese tumbling out of the restaurant behind him. The sense of mystique there was also palpable--even for Klaus. The closed doors of the more ornate buildings, and the strange looks he swore some of the locals gave him just being some of the elements that made something in the back of his head itch and nag.

The sky was darkening, shadows growing, and Klaus watched as lanterns began to glow and street lamps flickered on. The crowd had thinned somewhat, and Klaus heard a lot more activity from the restaurant behind him.

"Is that him?"

Klaus perked up, following Z's eyes. He scanned the crowd, finding no one that particularly stood out. "Who?" he asked, still searching, finding only a load of Americans in t-shirts and jeans.

"The man walking toward us," Z said, nodding his head in the direction.

"That can't be him."

Klaus scowled at the man, who scowled right back. The man was dressed far too casually in a pair of white slacks, with a loud, colorful t-shirt. Over it was a white sports jacket with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair was messily tied back in a blond ponytail, and his eyes were covered with a heavy pair of black sunglasses. A sharp contrast to the Major's stringent grey suit, which he still stubbornly wore in spite of the day's heat, fearing that the Californian inertia would infect him like a bug if he left himself exposed. Though his own hair was long, his dark locks were kept strictly combed and at his shoulder.

The man took out a file from under his arm and looked at it, carefully reading out loud, "Major Klause Eberrback?" he scratched the back of his head, looking up at the two.

Klaus' eyes widened, almost in a permanent state. He didn't think he had ever heard such bastardization of his name.

Z was first to address the man, "You're Detective Leon Orcot?"

The man smirked and nodded, "Yeah, sorry I'm late."

"By more than an hour." Klaus finally said.

Leon raised an eyebrow, his smirk getting a bit tighter on his face. "_Yeah,_ like I said, sorry about that. LA traffic is a bitch." He looked back down at his file, taking off his sunglasses and slipping them into a pocket of his jacket. "Which one of you is Eberrback?"

"Major."

"What?"

Klaus scowled deeply, "Don't use my last name," when Leon simply answered with an 'oh,' Klaus plowed on, "It's _von dem Eberbach_, just in case you must say it again."

Leon blinked, looking back down at his papers. "Oh, you _say_ the 'von dem?' I thought it was like your middle name or something."

Before the Major could retort, Z cleared his throat, "Major, I'll see what more A and B have intel on. They're at the hotel."

"Dismissed, Z." Klaus said, and the agent walked off quickly.

"A? Z? Your agents don't have names or anything?" Leon said, his blue eyes following Z for a moment.

"I assign my agents by letters."

"Right," Leon had begun to pick his ear with a single finger, causing Klaus to grimace. Leon checked his watch, "Better get going."

Klaus followed him as Leon began to walk. Leon stuck his hands in his pocket as he lumbered down the street while Klaus walked briskly and with intent, almost passing Leon along the way.

"You in a hurry?" Leon asked with a raised eyebrow, running to catch up.

Klaus sent him a piercing look, "I've waited for nearly an hour. I have no intention of sauntering my way through the mission I've been given."

Leon frowned, "You don't even know where we're going."

"Then kindly inform me," Klaus said, not stopping his rapid pace.

Leon's lips went tight, his scowl darkening as he began to move in longer strides. He took the hands out of his pockets and began moving his arms with his legs, nearly at a jog to keep up with Klaus' pace. "Gladly. Mertz mentioned Wolfgram had visited a pet shop around here--a little before they had their argument." His own pace dulled for a moment, "And that's all red flags to me."

Klaus came to a screeching halt, his eyes wide. "A... pet shop." At Leon's nod, Klaus felt the blood under his skin boil. "You're taking me to a bloody pet shop?!"

"Hey, it's a lead, isn't it?! Plus, I know what it sounds like--"

"I'm not here to investigate trivial connections to this case. You were to show me suspects to the possible crime involved--"

"That's what I'm doing!" Some people walking on the streets had either stopped to look or walked by much faster, but neither man noticed. "This isn't your mom and pop shop full of hamsters and fish, or even a fuckin' PetCo. The guy that runs it is real suspicious."

Klaus blinked, his mouth straight, "A... pet shop."

Leon rolled his eyes, starting to walk again, "Shit, like I said, I know what it sounds like! Believe me, I've gotten enough crap from everyone in the LAPD about it already. But you'll know as soon as you see this guy that he's trouble."

Klaus followed him, now at a slower pace. His headache was tight and hot in his head, making him dizzy for a split second. As he contemplated seeing a doctor, he heard only blips of what Leon had said. "Instinct is one thing," he said, shaking himself out of pained stupor, "It's not something reliable enough to prosecute."

"God, don't I know it," Leon shoved his hands into his pockets, "This guy's given me enough trouble as it is already. He's like fucking Houdini though. I can't get anything on him, even though he's always there when the worst of the city's crimes fall into my lap. Murders--real ruthless ones--_disappearances_, and I think he's got some kind of drug and child slavery shit going on. None of it is good stuff."

Klaus grunted, only half listening, "A member of the Chinese mafia?"

Leon snorted, "He's definitely got connections."

"But you say he runs a pet shop. Is it a front?"

Leon stopped for a moment, "No... well, I can't really say," he started walking again, scowling as he seemed to think, "He's not like the guy that sells knock-off Versace down the street from my apartment--he actually knows his stuff about animals. He gets all sorts of customers. Lot of rich folks, middle-class, kids_..._"

"So, he runs a well-respected establishment."

"No! That's only what it seems like!" Leon growled, "It's not a normal pet shop, and he's not selling normal pets. People _have_ been killed, and he's never mournful about it." Leon seemed to want to rant on, but quieted down as he looked around, "We're almost there."

The sky was now a dark blue from the glow of the street lamps, though Klaus noticed that as they walked further, the light from lanterns rather replaced the street lamps. It gave the whole street a more surreal glow, making it harder to see clearly and easier to see shadows that trick eyes.

They turned a final corner and walked onward toward an ornate building, the roof of the building creating a shadow over its closed doors. A purple sign was posted at its side, reading in gold letters, "Count D's Pet Shop."

"This is a pet shop?" Klaus asked as he stared up at the sign.

"Like I said, not your mom and pop kind of place." Leon opened the door, not seeing Klaus jump with a start.

Klaus followed him down, bracing himself tight. His nerves were on edge and he didn't like it at all--but he would never let some shadows and dark places scare him. And yet as they went down a wide flight of stares with only a dim glow from sconces to light their way, Klaus realized his feelings then were all so different than what he had ever had before. In a gunfight or in the presence of a bomb, he was in his element. He logically knew that if he did one thing wrong, he or someone else could end up dead. He was in complete control with that in mind, and he could act calmly. This, however, was a different matter. Somehow the echoes that resonated from their steps were more than simply noise in an eerie silence--they were an invasion on the barely kept chaos within, challenging whatever lie there. The darkness was its own presence, the shadows he and Leon flung on the wall seemingly a stark comparison to the shadows residing by the stairs, in the cracks on the wall and those that melted with the darkness.

Klaus berated himself. He was beginning to think like an idiot who had read too many ghost stories. He lived in a castle all of his life; what was some empty darkness to him? Perhaps, because it wasn't quite an empty darkness. Klaus stopped to grimace, his body coiling. "Mein _Gott._ What is that stench?!"

Leon snorted, "Reeks, don't it? It's incense. The guy loads his customers up with it, I suspect."

All around them, the powerful smell of incense and perfume felt thick. The scent was so pungent it was hard to discern the exact smell of it--whether it was sweet or bitter, or what kind of flower or herb it was, Klaus couldn't tell, only feeling his already throbbing headache be further agitated by the powerful smell. Now the smell combined with the darkness made Klaus dizzy. The smell seemed to penetrate passed his nostrils and into his head. Yet he noticed Leon was visibly unaffected by all of these elements. He walked faster than Klaus now, though with the same saunter he had on the street, not even regarding the environment.

Seeing this, Klaus plunged forward just as Leon did, catching up to his pace. "Do these stairs ever end?" just as Klaus had said it, the stairs indeed ended and they were facing another door. Leon opened it wide and barged in.

Klaus squinted as light pierced through, but was immediately relieved by the presence of it. The cement floor ended as Klaus walked onto a wooden floor and then a dark carpet. Klaus scrunched his nose up immediately at the room.

"Vile." Klaus said under his breath. The room was even more pungent with the smell of incense, but what was now more powerful to Klaus was the decor. Rich reds and browns and royal purple, laced with delicate pinks and shining gold made up much of the colors. There was a large, dark red sofa in the very middle, with pink curtains billowing and flowing over it, with dark green and blue pillows were thrown on it. There was an oriental, ornate lounging chair, of almost black wood with a pea green cushion and pink pillows with gold tassels. They were next to more chairs of equal softness, and they all surrounded a dark wood tea table, low to the ground and shining under the bright light of the room. Vases sat on oriental end tables to the wall, and plants fanned over with the gold and pink curtains of the room. Klaus mouth was set in firm disdain. "This is more a brothel than a pet shop."

"You may even be right about that," Leon said.

But the shop obviously had pets--what seemed like hundreds. Some were in cages, either normal metal cages, or ones that were made out of bamboo or wood. Birds of various colors and sizes sat either inside or outside the cages, all eerily silent as they merely pruned themselves or stared at Klaus and Leon. Macaws standing on their perches with their rainbow wings, parakeets all in one gold cage, a peacock raining its huge colorful feathers down the back of a chair, and birds so wild and exotic looking that Klaus couldn't possibly know what they were. Dogs and cats roamed around, looking up intently at Klaus and Leon, or yawning as they went back to sleep. The cats were silky and lanky to long-haired and downy, their eyes bright and piercing. Rodents and the occasional lizard came by or lazed under the dim glow of the lights. The place seemed infested with animals, most of them loose and out of their cages and wandering about, many piling onto couches and the sofa.

"How does he keep this place so clean? There's vermin everywhere," he scowled down at a white rabbit, which stared back with large pink eyes.

"Who knows. He's the only one who works here." Leon went across the room towards the sofa, promptly plopping down on it and ignoring as a few dozen animals scrambled away as his weight dented the cushions. "I've never seen anyone in here sell animals except him." As Klaus scowled at him, he scowled back, "What?"

Klaus served him a dry look, raising his eyebrow, "You seem comfortable here."

"Yeah. The place is creepy at first but I'm kind of used to it," when Klaus was back to his scowl, Leon tensed up, "What?!"

Klaus at last scoffed, "Incompetence seems to run rampant in the LAPD."

"Incompetent?!" Leon shot up, "_Hey_, Mr. Big Shot NATO Officer, or whatever the hell. Just 'cause you've got some nameless agents under your finger doesn't mean you get to be an ass to me, all right?"

Klaus' eyes widened, "_Excuse_ me?"

"You heard me! You've been an ass to me this whole time."

Klaus was in front of Leon in an instant, a few lucky animals just barely making it out of his way. Klaus was not happy to find that he was not only just barely taller than Leon by mere centimeters, but also that his signature glare was not waning Leon's own, but perhaps agitating it further.

He growled, "Don't make any assumptions about your position. You're a small-time detective. You have no say in this case, and you're in no position to criticize or insult me--and believe me, you don't want to do either of that anyway." He felt meager satisfaction at seeing Leon shrink somewhat, but it only lasted for a moment.

Leon puffed up his chest, "First come, first serve," a smirk glided across his face, "You're not getting rid of me that easy, if that was your idea."

It was Klaus' turn to smirk, "I'm afraid that's not how it works. This is my mission--and the only reason I'm in this bloody city is to see to it. The likes of you won't be getting in my way of it."

"Oh, that's not my intention at all, Major _Klaus ven dom Eberbach_," he either ignored or did not notice Klaus wince, "I'm here to helpyou, after all."

"You idiot!" Klaus bit out, "You've already done enough to hinder me by showing up late and opening your big mouth."

He shrugged, his chin rising, "All I'm saying is, you're not scaring me away from this case by being a total dick. I won't let a government suit push me around."

Klaus shook with anger, but a voice from behind a curtain dispelled what he had meant to say.

"A customer?" the placid voice slithered out. The first thing Klaus saw was a red lipped smile as a lithe figure came into view. Dressed in an ornate, silk oriental gown and silk pants, what Klaus assumed first to be a woman came into few, long nails grasping at the curtain, a delicate and pale face smiling pleasantly. However, the voice had a slightly male tone to it, so Klaus could only assume that the person was Count D. As he stepped closer to him and Leon, piercing, bi-colored eyes of gold and purple quickly contradicted any assumptions Klaus had about the man's fragile appearance, replacing it with a much more cunning facade.

The smile D held was quickly broken into a scowl as his eyes roamed to Leon. "Oh, it's just you, Detective. What is it that I've done now?"

Leon scowled, "That's what I'm here to find out.

D rolled his eyes, "As usual." D then scanned Klaus, his red lips curling into a smile once more, "And you've brought another guest, I see."

"Major Klaus von dem Eberbach of NATO," Klaus said.

"German, I see," D said, "And nobility, too. I'm honored."

Klaus' scowl furthered, "Detective Orcot says you've served a man named Wolfgram. Is this true?"

D sighed, "I see you're here on business. But please, do wait a moment." D wandered over to one of the chairs, "Perhaps have some tea?"

"I didn't come here for _tea_. I'm here on official NATO business, not for a damn visit!"

D frowned at Leon, "It seems you've met your match, Mr. Detective," he turned back to the Major, "I assure you, I'll answer any questions you have, but it's been a long day--I'd like to settle down, first."

Before Klaus could object, D slunk off into another room. Klaus let go of the shudder he had been restraining. "Disgusting. I couldn't tell if he was a man or a woman."

Leon shrugged, "Never seen a tranny before? Although he insists it's not a dress..." Klaus did not feel the need to relay him about Agent G, who had grown an affinity for cross-dressing after a mission in Greece, and so remained silent. Leon fell back onto the sofa, "He does this all the time, so you may as well relax."

"I'm not so flexible as you."

Leon scowled, "Believe me, I'm not."

D slid back into the room, now carrying a tray with a tea pot and tea cups, and what seemed to Klaus an offensive amount of cakes and biscuits.

"Telling the Major horrible things about me, Detective?" D placed the tray on the table and settled down into an armchair. He looked over at Klaus, his eyes lidded and his eyebrows lofty with inquisition. "You're free to sit down, Major. Have some tea, please."

"I prefer standing."

"Whatever you wish."

"Can I smoke in here?"

"I'd rather you not, I'm afraid." Count D sipped some tea slowly. While D was showing a great deal of delicacy in drinking his tea, Klaus could already see that two thirds of the cakes he had brought in were missing. Then again, Leon had easily helped himself to the dish.

"Wolfgram." Klaus said.

"What's that?"

"Did you serve a man named Wolfgram?" Leon said, then roughly wiped cream from his mouth, almost as if it were an attempt to erase the evidence of him slacking off.

D's eyes rolled up to the ceiling, blinking several times and bringing a long-nailed finger up to his chin. "I don't quite remember. I'm almost sure I haven't, however."

"Ha! You're _lying_," Leon slammed a fist onto the table, making both D and several animals jump at the noise.

D huffed, scowling, "Really, Detective, do control yourself."

"Wolfgram was here! We have a witness who told us so."

"_Who_ is Wolfgram? Tell me that, Detective, and I may be less in the dark than I am as of now."

"He's the guy me and him are looking for."

D sighed, "_That_ really helps." he frowned excessively, "I suppose he _may_ have come by, but I've had so many customers that it's just so hard to say."

Leon growled, "Quit playing ignorant! Tell me what he bought! What time did he come by? Didn't anything stick out to you or anything?!"

"Really, you can't expect me to remember that much." D almost smiled, but quickly brought his tea to his lips to cover it.

Klaus finally penetrated the scene, the scowl on his face now set firm. "Wolfgram--about my height, well-built, dark hair, tan complexion, grey eyes, a scar on his left cheek. He was a customer here."

D looked up at him, his eyes lidded and a smile again on his face, "That's much better." He paused again to think, resting his face on his hand. "I suppose he did come by. Is that all you wanted to know?" He looked up at Klaus, his gaze still lazy. Klaus' look on him darkened, his glare concentrated fully on D's contemptuous, red-lipped smirk. As Klaus' look intensified, D's smile only widened. "I'm sure that look scares many people, Major, but I'm used to bullies," D broke his eye contact with Klaus to glare at Leon.

Klaus' own concentration didn't break. "I'm tired. I'm hot. I have a migraine. I'm annoyed as hell and it stinks like a dirty brothel in here. I can be a much crueler bully than Detective Orcot, I assure you."

D's look sharpened, "You may be a bit more dedicated to the job than the Detective, but bullies come in all of the same colors. Not to mention I feel you're very out of place to threaten a civilian, Major."

Klaus growled, "And you're out of place for not cooperating in the first place! I'm not here for tea and cakes--I want answers!"

D sighed, a scowl falling on his face, "Fine. I suppose that will get you both out of here faster--I'm expecting a client soon and I don't want two barbarians tearing apart my store." He sat back on his chair, stroking a pure white cat that had leaped up into his lap, "As I said, he did come here. I sold him a dog--he said he wanted it for protection. He left satisfied with his purchase." D's face relaxed and his eyes landed back on the Major. "Detective Orcot does rather have the tendency to pin the blame on me, wouldn't you say?"

Klaus' eyes wheeled over to Leon, who immediately leaped out of his seat, "Bullshit, D! I always come here because you're always involved--"

"Yes, yes. I hope you enjoyed my tea and cakes--you've seemed to have taken advantage of them--but I really must ask for you and the Major to leave now. As I said, my client should be here in any minute." He looked up at the clock, "In fact he's running a bit late..." he got up from his seat, the cat leaping off of his lap as he stood, "Good day, gentlemen. It was lovely to meet you, Major von dem Eberbach." He slipped out of the front door, closing it with a slam.

Klaus looked sharply down at Leon, "You'll grow a paunch from all of those cakes."

Leon scowled, "That guy... shit. He never gives me a straight answer."

Klaus raised an eyebrow, "His story was quite straight, Detective. It only took a bloody amount of waiting to get it." He looked at the door D went through, "He's suspicious all on his own, but not about this. I think he just enjoys getting a rise out of you, and you're quick to reciprocate."

"Damn it! He always does this! He ends up making me look like the idiot to escape any blame from himself!"

"If you're implying that he holds any power over me, you'd be wrong. He makes my skin crawl." Klaus shuddered once more, "He's obviously a degenerate--a depraved one at that."

"Doesn't matter. You still fell for his tricks."

"Wrong again. You've just made your argument utterly unconvincing. You seem obsessed with this man more than he seems to be a murderer or a kidnapper."

Leon growled, ruffling up his messy blond hair, "Can't you see?! He obviously _knew_ what we came here to ask about--that's why he said he didn't remember who Wolfgram was!"

Klaus massaged his forehead, closing his eyes. "Instinct alone won't help us. Prove it to me and you may change my mind."

"I will!" Leon rose up from his seat on the sofa.

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Do that, then. Are we done here?"

Leon stiffened, then let his posture drop. "Yeah, I guess."

Klaus led the way to the door. He stopped as he heard a wealth of noise muffled from behind it. He and Leon both waited in front of the door as the noise drew closer, until it was distinguishable as a loud conversation.

The dark door swung open. Count D came in, brushing passed the two, flashing them both a small frown. Klaus had paused to watch the man, only to turn back to the door, his look automatically cracking into horror filled.

_"You..."_

All at once, three voices spoke.

_"Nooooooo!!"_

"Erk..."

"Major! What a pleasant surprise!"

A tall man walked into the light, watching Klaus with dancing blue eyes. The man's eyes were wide, as if surprised, but there was no other hint of shock in his demeanor, his walk a smooth glide and his posture confident. A river of golden curls fell from his head, pouring down to the top of his back. He wore a sleeveless striped shirt, unbuttoned to reveal much of his chest, and tight denim pants that gathered into knee-high, black leather boots.

"It's been far too long," the man had a lilting British accent, smiling as the Major still stood in shocked silence.

Klaus' silence was demolished in a blink of an eye. _"What the fuck are you doing here, you fucking thief?!" _Klaus had become utterly rigid, seeming to be holding himself back against the man. Leon shrank back a bit, stepping back to D's side.

"Who the hell is that, D?" he asked under his breath.

D's eyes were wide as saucers at the interaction between the new man and Klaus, "Lord Dorian Red Gloria, Earl of Gloria."

"Is he British?"

D raised an eyebrow, rolling his eyes.

"Milord!" a shrill voice said, still in the dark of the door, "You said he wouldn't be here in a thousand years! Why is he here?!"

"Aye, I reckon we just have that kind of luck, Jamesie," a stout man with a mustache came out of the door, sticking to the wall farthest away from Klaus, behind Dorian.

Dorian flashed a dazzling smile, "Yes, Major, do tell us why you're here! I'm endlessly curious. Perhaps you came in hopes of catching a glimpse at a Hollywood star? Treating the Alphabets to a tour around Chinatown, perhaps?"

"Shut up! I asked first, you insufferable imbecile."

"I should think it's obvious," Dorian tipped his head, letting his hair tumble over his shoulders, "I'm here for a pet."

D's voice floated into the interaction, a frown on his face, "Major, may I ask why you're treating my client so harshly? If you have a dispute to settle, I'd rather you both take it outside."

Dorian slid further into the room, his eye contact with the Major breaking instantly as he faced D. "Oh, no, Count. He has always been this harsh to me. I've suffered hell from this man from the day we first met," as he said this, he looked back to Klaus, his eyes glittering.

"Bloody bollocks. It's you who has given me hell. You and all of your henchmen," he glowered at the stout man and the still open door both.

Dorian gave D an apologetic look, "What am I to do with him, I wonder?" his eyes wandered over to Leon, another brilliant smile blooming on his face, "Who is this? Major, a friend of yours? I thought you detested Americans..."

D sighed, "That's only Detective Leon Orcot, Lord Gloria. He's apparently working with the Major, here."

"I see! How wonderful." He looked back at Klaus, whose look was now permanently at a frown and scowl, "I dare say, he looks a good deal like Z, don't you think?"

Klaus bristled up, his eyes widening, "Don't tell me of your perverted observations, you sick degenerate!"

"I was only _saying_. Don't be jealous." As Leon seemed to be hit with a huge wave of wide-eyed realization, D covered his face to cough into his hand. "Haven't I proven myself devoted after all of these years? I only have eyes for you."

"You idiotic--" Klaus stopped short as a wail pierced through. It came from the dark hallway, making all in the room either jump or grimace.

A pale, small man dressed in a patched up suit came from the door at last, rushing up to Lord Gloria with tears in his eyes--well, one eye, as the other was hidden by a mop of black hair. "Milord, you know how much I hate it when you say such things!"

"Gentlemen, since there appears to be no problem..." D stepped into the middle of the fray, "Major, Detective Orcot, I believe you two were leaving."

"Right," Leon said, scowling at D.

Klaus didn't budge, simply looking hard at Dorian, who looked back with a smile. "You'd better not get in my way."

Dorian held his hands up in defense, "Never!"

"You know bloody well you have before!"

"Well, I have no business with you here. I didn't even know you _were_ here, as I said. I don't know how I could possibly deter you--Los Angeles is so large of a city, after all."

Klaus huffed through his nose, "If I hear about any robberies--"

"Robberies?" Dorian laughed, his eyes quickly glancing at both of his servants, "Did you hear that, Bonham? How silly." The stout man smiled and nodded, though it was faulted as he looked on at the Major with still as much nervousness as before. "I assure you, Major, Count D's shop is by no stretch of the imagination so beyond my finances that I must stoop to criminal acts."

"Are you mocking me--" Klaus was again interrupted by James, who had perked up, all traces of tears gone from his face.

"Speaking of finances," he addressed D, taking out a massive and well beat-up calculator, "Just how much is a pet, here?"

D shrank back, "Uh, we'll discuss that later..."

"Why the hell are you interested in a pet now, anyway?" Klaus asked Dorian, "Tired of paintings and statues?"

"Hardly." Dorian turned to look around the room, his eyes developing a glaze, "I've heard of the famous Count D before. I've only decided now may be the time to seek his service--only his pet shop is worthy of my tastes, after all. They say you can find your hearts desire, here."

D smiled, but it was quickly faulted as Klaus snorted. "You're only looking to show off."

Dorian laughed, eyes lids veiling over, "You're as adorably straight forward as ever, Major."

"Let's go," Klaus said and turned around at break neck speed, not waiting for Leon to even react before darting out of the room.

Leon ran to the door, only to look back at Dorian and the group.

"It was wonderful meeting you, Detective," Dorian said.

Leon scowled, eyes snapping from D to Dorian, "Watch your ass around here, Earl. Some people don't come out of this shop alive."

Dorian's eyebrows raised while D rolled his eyes, looking at Leon sideways, "The Detective likes his ghost stories."

"God damn it, D--"

D stalked up to Leon and began pushing him out the door, "It was lovely seeing you, Detective, but as said you must be going and I wouldn't want to keep you from your engagements."

"D--!"

D slammed the door in his face, locking it shut.


	2. Dispute

The sky was black by the time Klaus reached the outside. The people crowding the streets were not all quite gone yet. Shops and restaurant lights were still burning bright in the early evening. Klaus hastily took out a cigarette, puffing away by the time Leon joined him.

"Shit! That guy pisses me off," Leon took out his own pack of cigarettes, "Always makes me look stupid. I can't wait to throw his ass in jail."

Klaus scowled, "You're not using my mission to do that."

"What?"

"Don't think you're going to waste my time here. If you want to play his game then you're welcome to--but you will regret it if you use my mission as an excuse."

"You're totally falling for his tricks!" Leon stubbed out his cigarette harshly, "I'll show you all of the case files this guy is connected to. You can't underestimate him--I've seen how he's worked people. He uses their weaknesses and vulnerabilities to manipulate them into trusting him and his pyscho pets."

Klaus laughed out loud, "You're mad. I'm done here," he began to walk away.

Leon growled, "Fine! You'll fucking regret it when Goldilocks in there becomes cat food."

Klaus wheeled around. He was stunned for a moment, until he forced a laugh again, "Do you honestly think I care about that intolerable fop?! He can rot for all I care--or become cat food, as you said." He smirked slightly, "In fact, I'd pay that crossdressing Chinaman to get him out of my hair."

"Yeah? Well, I'm not willing to let someone else get caught up by D."

"Please, if you could let him? _Just_ this once. Really. I'd appreciate it. In fact, now I sincerely hope__you're right about about all of this."

Leon blinked, "Jesus, do you hate the guy that much?"

"I assure you, he's worthy of my utter loathing."

"What'd he do?"

Klaus growled, staring hard at the pet shop, "What hasn't he done is a more appropriate question," he turned on his heels to start walking again, not noticing or caring that Leon followed.

"He seemed a little..." Leon let his wrist go limp and dangled his hand around.

Klaus shuddered, "Please don't do that."

"You know, you're pretty stiff. You should lighten up a bit. I think he liked you," Leon laughed, walking on until he finally noticed that Klaus had stopped dead in his tracks.

_"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" _Klaus roared, turning red, "Do you think I'm a queer?! A fucking fop like him?!"

"No! Jesus, man! It was a joke!" Leon held his hands up defensively, his eyes wide, "Chill the fuck out! There's nothing wrong with being gay--"

Klaus bristled up more, _"I'm not GAY! How dare you!"_

"Christ, I never said you were! Chill!" Klaus finally relented, releasing a huge huff of air. Leon sighed as well, "Relax. God damn."

"Out of my way," Klaus pushed passed him. First he was at a breakneck speed, but slowly his pace dwindled. His head was following his heart rate--beating rapidly. His migraine had grown tight and painful from the day. Klaus walked towards the wall of a building and leaned against it.

"You look pale." Leon said, "Don't you eat?"

Klaus wiped sweat from his brow, "I hate airplane food. And American food."

"Let's get some Chinese food. The real stuff I mean," he looked up at the building, "That's convenient. This place is pretty good, too." He walked up the stoop of the building and Klaus followed. By the smell, he realized they had been in front of a restaurant the whole time.

It was loud and bustling inside the restaurant. The walls were an almost yellow green, covered in embroidered scrolls of lions, dragons and tigers. An elderly Chinese woman took them to their seats at a dark wood booth and gave them their menus. The savory smell was strong, making Klaus suddenly remember his empty stomach. They fell into silence once they had ordered.

"I thought you Europeans were supposed to be pretty liberal," Leon said.

Klaus had his eyes closed, having anticipated to be able to rest his eyes, but he opened them, realizing with a sigh that the restaurant and his dinner guest were far too loud for him to be granted that. "Don't assume things like that."

"Shit, I should be saying that about you. Didn't you already say, like, five bad things about Americans today?"

"Have you ever been to Germany?"

"No."

"Then I rest my case," Klaus closed his eyes again, trying to blot out the sound of people yelling in Cantonese, clinking dinner plates and conversation.

"Was that guy a criminal?"

Klaus' eyes went wide, "Who?"

"The guy in the pet shop."

"Stop talking about him already!"

Leon leaned back against the bench, his jaw clenched and his look resolute,"You were ready to beat the shit out of him. You can't blame me for being curious."

Klaus sighed roughly, "He is a criminal. He calls himself Eroica. He's an art thief."

Leon nodded, an eyebrow quirked, "What's he doing walking around in broad daylight?"

"It's nighttime, if you hadn't noticed, and I thought Count D's pet shop was suspicious anyway."

"Yeah, but he usually serves mobsters if anything. This is the first thief he's had as far as I know. Plus, isn't he like an Earl or something?"

"Please stop talking about it." Klaus said, bringing his face into his hands, "He's been like a damn leech on my side for..." a shadow ghosted over his face, "Mein Gott, it's been fifteen years..."

"Jesus. How old are you?"

"I'm thirty-eight."

"And you're still a Major?"

Klaus scowled, closing his eyes once more, "You're giving me more of a headache."

"So, what do you figure?"

"About what?!"

"Wolfgram."

Klaus sighed, but it was one of relief. He leaned forward into their table. "We'll have to talk to Mertz tomorrow. Some of my agents made contact with him on the phone, but that's not enough. I want to see him myself."

"You figure he just split?"

"Who?"

"Wolfgram."

"I'd sooner believe that than a story about how his dog kidnapped him."

Leon shifted in his seat, a shadow going over his eyes, "Maybe a different story will change your mind. You wanna hear about what happened to other customers to Count D?"

"Not really."

"Ethan Grey. Wife flung herself off a boat and he went on a huge guilt trip--and somehow paid a visit to Count D," he sat back on his bench, "Got a huge fish and put it in his pool. Wanna guess what happened to him?"

"No."

"Dead. We found him in pieces. He got eaten by his fish after going crazy and holing himself up in his pool house. The creepiest part about it? He said the fish was his _wife_, back from the dead."

Klaus looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "I think I've seen that movie before."

"It's not a movie!" Leon said, "I fucking saw the body! He was nothing but a torso! Wanna know what happened to Robin Hendrix?"

"You'll tell me anyway."

"Dead! He frequented D's shop--he had some kind of reptile fetish--and ended up dying alone with his lizards. And Anessa Burtley! She went missing--came back drugged out and tripping on something. She knew D, and she and all of her friends were buying drugs from him."

"Right. And what do you have to back all of this up?"

Leon's mouth clasped shut as he fell back on his bench, "That's the problem."

"You're damn right it is. Forget getting a warrant--any judicial system would laugh you out of the court room."

Leon laughed, "Believe me, that's happened more than once."

Klaus raised a hand to massage his forehead, "When is our food getting here.."

"Look, I know--"

"No, you see here," Klaus leaned into the table once more, "If you mention one more thing about rabid dogs and cats to me--"

"Bullshit."

"What?!"

Just try something!" Leon shot out of his seat, "I'm sick of you talking big. Fucking do something if you're so macho."

Many patrons had stopped eating their dinner to turn and look, as well as the waiters and waitresses. Most of the restaurant had gone silent, but neither man noticed any of this.

Klaus was up only a moment after Leon had stood, and the two stared each other off.

"You think it's worth a broken jaw?" Klaus hissed, grabbing Leon's shirt and balling it tight into his fist. Leon did the same to Klaus' jacket. "I've fought commie bears bigger than you!"

Leon's eyes lit up, "Bears?! Are fucking mocking me?!"

Klaus punched Leon in the cheek. A few women screeched and dishes were dropped by the waiters. He let go of Leon's shirt to watch him stagger, and smirked as the detective spat blood onto the restaurant carpet.

"Sirs!" a short Chinese man with a slight build and thick glasses came out of the kitchen--or rather was pushed out by the cooks on the other side of the doors, "S- sirs, as the manager I'm going to have to ask you to--"

Leon plowed into Klaus, both slamming onto an occupied table, causing more screeches and yells. Some bowls and cups flew into the air, and noodles and soup fell either onto the ground or onto the two now struggling men. Leon had his hands around Klaus' neck while Klaus was jabbing at Leon's face, until finally he kneed Leon in the groin and pushed him off. Leon yelped, choosing a few choice expletives for that.

"That is fucking dirty..." Leon said in a tight, high pitched voice as he held his crotch.

Cooks now surrounded their manager, watching the fight while their manager looked on as well, horrified. "Sirs, please! Oh, they're not listening..."

As Leon recovered, Klaus took the time to get stray pieces of noodles out of his hair. Once he came to, Leon attempted to punch him, but Klaus stopped his fist short at his wrist. Leon jabbed with his left and met him at his ear, and then gave him an uppercut. All in the restaurant winced as the clicking of teeth could be heard. Klaus fell to the ground.

"Did I knock some teeth out of your pretty face?" Leon laughed, but his look quickly fell as a meaty hand grasped onto his shoulder. He looked up, paling as his eyes met the beady eyes of a burly Chinese man dressed in a suit. He looked behind him, eyes widening still when he recognized the Don of the Chinese Mafia, sitting at a corner table. "Shit."

The deep voice above him spoke, "The Boss wants to eat his dinner now. Show's over."

Another hand grabbed Leon and he was lifted off his feet instantly, "Hey! Wait!" He was swiftly carried away, the two huge body guards barely having to strain themselves at his weight. He was soon flying out of the restaurant, his face meeting the street. He moaned and turned around, then laughed out loud as he saw Klaus being dragged by the legs like a bag of garbage. His laughter quickly halted, however, as the bodyguard swung Klaus right at Leon, Klaus' heavy body quickly colliding with his own.

Leon saw stars, but woke up just as a man with thick glasses stood glaring at them for a moment at the foot of the restaurant's door. "That'll teach you!" he screeched, then threw something at them and slammed the door. As the plate hit Leon on the head, he was out again for at least a second.

"Fuck!" Leon wriggled under Klaus' weight, "Get the fuck off me!" he rolled Klaus off of him and crawled away.

Klaus moaned, laying on the ground for a moment and holding his mouth.

"Glad it fucking hurt," Leon said, wiping his own face of blood.

Klaus got up, putting his head in his hands. He didn't bother looking up, knowing full well that people were staring. His ears were ringing, his head was in such huge pain that he saw white instead of black when he was out, and both his face, neck and his back were pulsing. He also felt a bit sticky and wet, too. He sighed gruffly. "That was the first time that's happened to me sober."

For a moment there was only the crowd's murmur. Then Klaus jumped as Leon barked a fit of laughter. Despite the feeling that he had just been hit in the head with several rocks, Klaus chuckled, then soon had to cover his mouth to stifle himself.

"Shit," Leon said after he took a breath of air. He staggered up, then reached a hand down to Klaus. The latter silently took it and pulled himself up.

"Such a bloody balls up," Klaus said to himself, "You weren't worth that embarrassment."

Leon still smirked, "It was worth giving you a broken jaw."

"Don't flatter yourself."

Leon laughed again for a moment, "I'll drive you to your hotel."

Klaus scowled, stopping as Leon went on blithely ahead. "Why the fuck are you so happy?"

Leon looked back, shrugged, then walked on, whistling as Klaus followed with a slight stagger.

--

The intoxicating incense that whenever he took a breath of, it felt like a dizzying high that numbed and pleased the senses. The mysterious atmosphere of crawling shadows, glowing lanterns and glinting eyes. The luxurious surrounding of rich colors, ornate patterns and soft fabrics. The bright, colorful animals that prowled all around. The beautiful, charming host, who perhaps looked too feminine for Dorian's taste, but was no doubt one of the most gorgeous men he had ever seen, with those soft looking lips, mysterious eyes and dark, silky hair. Oh, it was all too much for Dorian to handle.

He sipped the sweet tea Count D had served him and simply looked all around. He touched a dark blue Persian cat as it slunk by, rubbing itself on the chair he sat on and looking up with great yellow eyes. He gasped slightly as a he heard a flutter by his ears, and looked up as a macaw landed on his chair. He lifted his hand up to it and it cooed, nibbling his fingers before grabbing them and perching itself, looking at him intently.

"You've so many," Bonham said with wide eyes as he watched Dorian indulging himself, while Bonham himself ate sweets and tea, "I can't imagine wot else ye may be keepin' in here."

"We have anything Lord Gloria desires," D said with a smile, looking at the both of them from his chair, "And he may take his time looking. After all, I'm sure he'll make a worthwhile contribution to my store."

"How worthwhile are we talking, here?" James appeared from behind D.

D stiffened up, feeling a shudder run up his spine at the stingy bug's sudden appearance, but laughed a bit to ease himself, "Eh, well, we sell a variety of pets here, so the prices will range from very great to very little."

James turned stony faced, "What's the cheapest you got?"

"James!" Dorian said as he held a white puppy in his hands, "Price is not an option. I can have my heart's desire here," he turned his nose up at his accountant.

James looked all around, then snatched something off the ground. He dangled a little black mouse in front of Dorian by the tail, "How about a mouse? That's cheap, right?!" he looked back at D.

While Dorian sighed and turned away, D rose, taking the poor mouse and allowing it to skitter onto his shoulder. "We have a variety of pets here, Mr. James. One that will surely fit both you and Lord Gloria's desires."

"Me? I don't want a pet! It was Lord Gloria's idea to come here." He scrunched his nose up at the strange raccoon Dorian now held, petting in his lap.

D smiled, taking James by the shoulder and leading him away, "But you like money?" he said quietly.

James eyes went wide, "Oh, yes," he gasped, "but how did you know that?!"

D blinked several times before forcing himself to smile, "There are legends that speak of dragons... they say that they guarded ancient gold under their bellies. The treasure of Kings and Queens and other royalty."

James had to blink himself out of a sudden stupor D's voice had sent him in, "Bah! What a silly story. Dragons don't exist."

D smiled more smoothly, leaning in towards James, "They say when they're asleep, any hero can go in, and, perhaps, seize a chance at wealth..."

James eyes went wide, and D left him to go by Dorian's side. James laughed a bit, "Dragons! So silly." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something move. He turned around quickly, gasping as a scaly tail disappeared behind an open hall. He stood petrified, then began to shake. "M- Milord... I don't think... this is a good place to..." He saw a glint in the shadows of the hall. He looked behind him at Lord Gloria, then at the shining--almost _gold_-like--glint, then finally walked toward the entrance of the hallway. His hands shook as he picked up a gold coin, his heart beating wildly. He looked down again, finding another. He picked that one up too, a smile slowly forming, his eyes wide. Then he found another, and another. He delved fully into the hall, following the gold pieces...

"Oh, D, they're all so wonderful," Dorian said with barely contained laugher, sighing slightly, "I have to admit, the Major was right--I don't _usually_ have an interest in animals. But these... they're so beautiful, so well-behaved--and clean!"

D smiled, "As I said, take your time."

Dorian looked all around. All of the animals around him were gorgeous. There were noble dogs, adorable rodents, beautiful cats and birds. Even the reptiles he had seen were beautiful, their scales shining and their eyes glinting.

"You never mentioned what kind of pet ye want, M'lord," Bonham said, happily mussing up the head of a big St. Bernard.

"Well, I've had cats and dogs before, and even the occasional bird. But I want something that will actually keep my interest this time," he laughed a bit, "I'm afraid they're exciting for a week and then I'm off to the next thing."

D tipped his head, raising an eyebrow, "Lord Gloria, there's more in the back room, if you'll wish to see."

"That would be wonderful," Dorian said, standing up from his chair.

"Mr. Bonham, would you mind watching this group for me?" D said with a smile, "They're well-behaved, so I'm sure you can handle it." Bonham smiled and gave thumbs up, busying himself with a fruit tart and petting an angora rabbit that had hopped up on the sofa with him.

D led Dorian down a dark hall, their foot steps echoing loudly. Dorian continued to observe all around him, smiling at the ornate design of the halls and at the cages now imbedded into the walls. The smell of the incense was even stronger, and he breathed it in deeply, eyes lidding over. "This place is absolutely stunning, Count. It's nothing like I expected."

"Why thank you, Lord Gloria. I'm glad that I do indeed meet your standards."

"You far surpass them," Dorian put a hand to his heart, stopping as he became distracted, looking into a dark cage. He chuckled slightly, "I almost feel overwhelmed."

D came up behind him, smiling, "What is it that you desire, Eroica?"

Dorian smiled widely, "Beauty." He turned around to face D, "How did you know?"

"Your reputation precedes you."

Dorian flipped his head of hair back, looking at D with glittering eyes, "As does yours. Yes..." he sighed, "I go searching the world for beauty--true beauty and art that only I can truly appreciate." He turned around to the cage again, putting a hand on its bars, "But..."

Count D tipped his head, smiling, "But?"

Dorian laughed slightly, his own smile weakening, "I cannot say it has brought me happiness. I'm lonely in my search for beauty. I love all of the paintings and statues I've obtained, and all those who help me obtain them... and though I've had many lovers, all of them beautiful men..." Dorian stopped himself, spinning himself around to face D, his smile slowly coming back, "I haven't found beauty itself in the flesh. A living, breathing creature, that can love me unconditionally as well. That is what I want."

D's eyes were lidded, his smile tightening, "I suppose that's something I can provide."

Dorian smirked, "Please, do show me."

"Follow me, Lord Gloria."

Their walk continued, and both disappeared behind the swelling darkness of the halls and the mist of incense all around.


	3. Dalliance

Klaus walked briskly down the apartment steps, causing the stone stairway's iron railing to rattle and shake. It was around noon, the sun shining bright, but bothering Klaus much less. He had gotten sufficient sleep and sustenance, and so his body was once again in top condition, not easily bothered by the same things that had gotten to him as it had yesterday.

Now, in fact, he figured he was too annoyed at the environment all around him to be annoyed by something as trivial as a headache. It felt like snakes were slithering up and down his spine everywhere he looked. He saw women in formless shirts and pants with short hair walking down the street, men in obscenely short denim pants and either wearing tight shirts baring their midrift or no shirt at all. What currently had his distraction were a couple of men flashing him bright eyed looks as he passed the pool area, and Klaus made certain he ignored their tanned, well muscled bodies, unashamedly exposed save for bright colored thongs and speedos.

He quickly left the apartment area, feeling rigid as he stopped at the front of it. He winced at the rainbow flag that wafted in the wind above him.

"You left kind of fast," a hand clapped down on his shoulder and Klaus jumped, whirling around. Leon was taken aback, scowling at the pale look Klaus had on his face, "You all right?"

"No," Klaus bit out. "Why did he have to live here, of all the damn places?"

Leon snorted, "Well, it's pretty obvious him and Mertz were comfy together."

Klaus saw red for a moment, his body growing more tense, "I'm bloody well aware of that _now_, you dolt! Why didn't anyone inform me that he and Mertz were... were--"

"Live-in partners?" Leon shrugged, "We didn't figure it was all that important. We're used to people catching the hint that when there's two men living together in West Hollywood that they're gay."

"How the fuck am I supposed to know that?!" Klaus said, fumbling for his cigarettes.

Leon scowled, "Sorry. Guess we didn't figure that we'd be working with a massive homophobe."

Klaus snorted, flicking his lighter shut, "Call me whatever you want--"

"Okay, dickface," Leon looked down at his notepad in order to avoid Klaus' incredulous glare, "What'd you make of Mertz?"

Klaus went tight lipped, retracting the insults he had meant to hurl. "Surprisingly self-effacing for his kind."

Leon sniggered, "Seemed fruity to me."

Klaus scowled, "How so?"

"You know; nice clean apartment, keeps himself well-kept, seems to work out religiously..."

As Leon listed it off, Klaus' look darkened, "That doesn't make him fruity! Why would that make him fruity?! What's wrong with all of that?!"

Leon stepped back a bit, "Whoa, man," he looked Klaus up and down for a moment, until his eyes widened, "Hey, I'm not talking about you! You Europeans are different!"

It was Klaus' turn to be taken aback, "Why?"

Leon shrugged, "You guys just seem to always have your shit together."

"Hardly. I guarantee you that you would get along ideally with my Alphabet."

"Oh, that's good to know," Leon's look turned thoughtful. Klaus sighed.

"Schaefer has yet to been known as having these... tendencies. In fact, he's lived with women in almost each state he's been in thus far. He feeds them a pity story, and with that and his good looks and charms he weasels his way into their home and their finances."

"Sounds like Mertz's story. Guess Wolfgram here got desperate?"

Klaus snorted, though his mouth was set in a firm frown as he looked up at the building, "Mertz is living comfortably. By the sounds of it, Schaefer preferred this style of living to his other homes. He's lived here the longest."

Leon nodded, "Were the other women poor or is he just a closet-case?"

Klaus felt ready to jump down the detective's throat again at the word 'closet-case,' but quickly realized it was just the environment putting him on edge. He cleared his throat, "He's lived with a variety of women, so we can't really be sure. All that matters is that Mertz is pretty much cleared of any suspicion from me. He seemed visibly effected by Schaefer's disappearance and saw our presence as more a relief than anything."

Leon nodded, "Definitely. If he had anything to do with it he'd be shaking in his boots," he smirked, "In fact, he seemed to kind of like us."

"Why are you so flattered by that?!" Klaus snarled as the detective stretched his hands to the back of his head, "And you wonder why I left as quickly as possible!"

Leon shrugged, "Hey, I'll take any compliment I can get! Sure, I'd rather they come from a chick with a nice pair of knockers, but..."Klaus grimaced, turning away quickly as he made his way down the street. Leon ran to catch up with him, "Hey, did you happen to hear what he said?"

Klaus looked at him sideways, "What?"

"The dog, man! He mentioned it--said he would have to give it back since it's too big for the apartment."

"What about it?" Klaus' jaw clenched, "You do remember what I said about mentioning that fruity pet shop again, right?"

Leon scowled, "My concern is legitimate, even if you don't think it is," he looked back at the apartment that was quickly disappearing from view, "I'm going to check up on Mertz tomorrow--make sure the dog didn't eat him or something like that."

Klaus rolled his eyes, "You do that."

As they walked, Klaus again felt himself tense up, and so he walked faster. He could feel salacious looks being thrust on him, and it was making his skin crawl. He thoroughly avoided the eyes of the strangers he passed, not acknowledging the appreciative smiles they gave him and Leon. Then he heard a cat-call. "Who bloody did that?!" Klaus swerved around, his eyes searching wildly.

"Come on, ignore it," Leon said with a sigh, pushing Klaus forward, "You're almost out of here," he perked up, "Hey! How about I take you to a strip joint to make up for it?"

Klaus shuddered violently, "I'll _pass._ I can't imagine the trash they parade out on stage here."

Leon snorted, "What, so the Red Light District only has the best princesses popping out ping pong balls for cash?"

Klaus clenched his fists, growling, "Your mind is absolute filth! Please stop spewing your gutter water all over me."

Leon frowned, "God, what are you, a priest? What's the problem?"

Klaus rounded on him, "You're indecent. I've seen and heard obscene things before, but you've thoroughly gone through each list of deplorable behavior and socked me in the face of it within the span of only ten minutes. You're the epitome of American indecency."

Leon blinked, "You're worse than D." Klaus huffed and continued walking, Leon again having to run to catch up. "Are you really that uptight or are you just whipped by your wife or something?"

"Wife?"

Leon rolled his eyes, "That figures. No girl in her right mind would even go out with you."

"I assure you, that is the least of my worries. I don't concern myself with women."

Leon stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes wide. Klaus looked back with an incredulous frown. Leon finally blinked, _"At all?"_

"At all."

"And you're not gay?"

Klaus growled, "I am not gay!"

"What exactly are you then?! A robot?" Leon caught up to him again, "How do you live like that?! Look at you! Women would throw themselves at you, you lucky bastard! I can't even get a date, and when I do get one the girls always turn out to be psycho bitches--and you, who has wealth, good looks and get to go all around the world and probably meet thousands of babes--"

"Your brain is in your head, not your manhood. Maybe if you thought like that, you'd look in the mirror and realize what you've been doing to yourself," he looked at Leon up and down, a scowl on his face, "You're the very thing I'm avoiding. I suppose you prey at bars, so desperate you'll throw yourself at the nearest thing with a skirt without thought? And when you can't manage to get lucky, you relieve yourself with cheap women or smut." Leon's look was both wide-eyed and at a firm frown, but he remained silent. Klaus snorted, "I'm right, aren't I? Do you realize how much you'd get done if you had simply let such trivial things go?"

"My dick is _not_ trivial," Leon's look was grave enough for a funeral.

"I'd rather not know anything about that, thank you," Klaus turned away, "I suppose you aren't even looking for a wife--just something to indulge yourself in. Why, I ask? Sex is meaningless when you're not doing it to produce an heir. The only reason the desire for it is so strong is because it's in our nature to want to pass on our bloodline. Otherwise it's a distraction."

Leon scowled, walking at Klaus' side, "Okay, forget the sex. How about this--you don't seem the type to have a big group of friends. You don't get lonely? "

Klaus snorted, "Even if I did, I wouldn't seek a woman to fulfill the want for company. They drivel on endlessly. Hardly ones for meaningful conversation."

Leon's look didn't phase, "I still don't believe you. Humans aren't solitary beings. You have to want someone to talk to," when Klaus simply shrugged, Leon shook his head, "I mean, even if you didn't, look at you. It doesn't really do you all that much good."

Klaus chuckled, briefly and without a smile, "Oh, I beg to differ. Distractions--that's all they are."

"So you just absorb yourself in work? No wonder. You don't have a life."

"Of course I do."

"No, you don't! I know I'm not the most perfect human being--but hey, at least I have things to fall back on when work is awful. What do you do when work stresses you out? And I know it has to--you're chasing terrorists all around the world. That's a high stress job."

"I work out. I eat. I sleep. That's all I need when I'm not working."

"Unbelievable," Leon shook his head, "And I see you're a fierce homophobe and moralist--I suppose you have your God and church too."

"I'm an atheist. I sometimes go to church for a nap, though."

"God, man! What the hell do you come home to? You don't have a wife, so you can't have kids. How often do you see your family?"

Klaus thought for a moment, "My father lives in Switzerland, my mother is dead. I'm an only child."

Leon relented slightly, "Guess that's at least one thing we have in common--well, my dad isn't in Switzerland, I've just never met him before. And I guess I'm not an only child, either--was for most of my life, but I have a little brother that I never see. Mom's dead, though, so we have that."When Klaus again shrugged, Leon shook his head once more, his brows furrowed. "That's amazing, though. I almost wouldn't believe it, but you're enough of a dick that it's believable. Why?" Klaus looked at him with a raised eyebrow, so he went on, "Why do you do that to yourself? Do you just hate people?"

"I respect anyone who's a law abiding citizen."

"But you don't _like_ anyone. Not enough to let them in."

Klaus scowled a bit, turning away, "Why do you care?"

"I'm just amazed," Leon shrugged, looking away himself, "I didn't think people like you existed. Most people who are loners usually end up being serial killers or basement dwellers. But you have to marry sometime, right?"

Klaus shrugged, "It's my duty to produce an heir."

"You're avoiding it like a disease, though."

Klaus snorted, but he still frowned, "A wife would shackle me. I would no longer be independent."

"And aren't you just the embodiment of that."As they walked, they passed restaurants and shops, all crowded and bustling. Klaus had been plowing down the street, but he abruptly stopped, causing Leon to bump into him. "Hey, what the hell--" Klaus shushed him and pulled Leon and himself behind a large plant serving as a decoration for a restaurant at their side. Klaus peered through the plant, scowling at what he saw.

Dorian sat in the shade at the outside of a restaurant, a cold drink condensing on the table in front of him. Bonham sat in a chair next to him, content with an ice cream sundae, while Dorian seemed to be less concerned with his iced tea and more with watching the crowd through his dark, stylish glasses.

Seemingly clamped to his arm was a young man Klaus did not recognize. His hair was a fiery red, thin yet soft and feathery. It streamed down his back, curling up at the ends. He was slender and pale, and his face was beautiful and youthful, not looking a day older than twenty. He dressed colorfully, wearing a multi-colored vest of green, blue, red and brown, with an ornate design embroidered on the back of what looked like peacock feathers and leaves. His pants were gold and ridiculously tight looking, emphasizing all of the right areas, with a burgundy and green sash around his hips. He simply wore sandals on his feet, which he flirtatiously dangled on his toes on one foot. His long nailed fingers gripped Dorian's arm. His face was buried in Dorian's shoulder, once in a while coming up to nuzzle or kiss his cheek and neck, which Dorian would accept with a look that seemed strangely pandering.

Klaus quickly looked away, his frown grave, "I don't want him to notice us."

"Why?"

Klaus growled, "Because he'll want to bother me! I'm trying to avoid that pervert as much as humanly possible," he grimaced more so, "Let's go before they start kissing up."

Leon blinked, scowling a bit, "Who?"

"Idiot! You know who!"

Leon looked at him incredulously, "No, I don't! You can't tell me him and that guy with the mustache--"

"Are you blind?! That--" he stopped short, for out of the corner of his eye he saw the red headed young man kiss Dorian fully on the lips. He heard Dorian's abrupt laugh, and watched as he received the kiss for a moment before pulling away from the youth. Klaus felt as though his gut flip upside down and emitted an abrupt choking noise. He pulled away from the plant and stalked down the opposite direction of the sidewalk.

"Hey! The car's the other way!" Leon yelled after him.

"I don't care! I'm finding another way around!" his pace didn't wane as Leon stepped up next to him.

"What did you see, man?!" Leon looked back, "What's the big deal?"

Klaus wound around to glare at him, "Him and that- that disgraceful pansy-boy are being disgusting! In public! That's the _'big deal'!"_

Leon's eyes were wide, looking back several times at Dorian and Bonham. _"Who?!"_

Klaus shook in fury, "You infuriating idiot! Are you that blind!? The fop and the dandy!"

"The what and the what?! Speak English!"

_"I am, you ingrate!"_ he grabbed Leon by the shirt and swung him around, "The three sitting there! Do I have to spell it out for you?!"

Leon stared hard at the scene before him, then looked back at Klaus, pushing his grip off of his shirt. His look was serious, "You see three people sitting there?" Klaus looked as though he was going to explode, so Leon quickly continued, "Hold on! You see Lord Gloria, I got that, the old mustache guy--" Klaus threw his hands up in the air and started down the street again, bunting Leon with his shoulder. Leon growled in frustration, again picking up his feet fast to catch up to him. He noticed Klaus pick up speed as he passed the restaurant in almost a blur. "Wait up, man!"

Klaus turned a sharp corner into the parking lot, and when Leon finally managed to catch up with him he was already sitting in Leon's beat up car. He was puffing harshly away at a cigarette when Leon got into the car himself.

"You saw--"

"Shut up."

Leon scowled, "Come on, man--"

"Don't talk anymore about it!" Klaus looked at the detective sharply, "Just be quiet."

Leon set his jaw firm, but none the less stayed that way as he started up the car and drove out of the parking lot.

_--_

The abrupt slam and the rattling of shelves around the room was a distinctly familiar occurrence for Count D's Pet Shop. It signaled the inevitable appearance of Detective Orcot. D smiled softly to himself before looking behind him, sighing at Leon's irritated look.

"That guy is unbelievable!" Leon stomped over to a couch and fell on it.

"Now you know what I have to deal with," D said with a continued smile, setting tea in front of Leon, "Is the Major a strain on your sensibilities, Detective?"

Leon scowled at the amused glint in D's eyes, "It's like trying to put your arms out in front of a tank. He just does and says whatever the hell he wants and stomps all over you if you try and do something different from that."

"Then I would think you two would get along swimmingly," D said as he sat down on his own chair, looking at Leon from behind the steam of his tea.

Leon snorted, "I am _not_ as bad as that guy. He's not just stubborn--he's completely stiff-necked. If I say one wrong thing he jumps down my throat."

"I should think he would keep you in line."

"Hey! I don't need any big shot to keep me 'in line'--I do my job just fine," he crossed his arms and sunk into the sofa.

"You do your job well, Detective--but you seem very chaotic. Some order wouldn't hurt you."

"Sure. But he ain't going to be the one to do it for me," Leon swung his ankle to rest on his knee, "Not when he's going to be a dick about everything. He won't get off my back for anything--he treats me like I'm inferior."

D raised his eyebrows, "Oh, but you showed him, right?"

Leon chortled, "Yeah, that--" he stopped short, blinking rapidly before he tensed up with a scowl, "You heard."

"Word travels fast. Can't you lose your badge for something like that?"

"The Major is excluding it from the record and paying the restaurant for damages from his own pocket," Leon scratched the back of his neck, "Says he would make me pay, too, except he knows damn well that I'm too poor to contribute much. He seemed embarrassed about it so he just wants to sweep it under the rug."

"Understandably. That's quite responsible of him--well, if not a bit manipulative of his power..."

"That guy's definitely got a record with NATO. I don't think he wants any more trouble."

"It seems bad luck follows him in the form of blond men--though perhaps it's more karmic by the sounds of it," D smiled with a slight chuckle.

D got up to refill his tea, watching Leon scowl for about a minute. Suddenly the detective shot up from his comfortable position as if jolted by electricity. "Damn it!" he threw his tea cup aside, not noticing D tense up until it landed safely on a cushion. "I came here to ask about that guy in the first place!"

"See? You would be better off with more urgency in your life," D smiled at Leon's mean glare.

"What did Lord Gloria buy yesterday?" Leon leaned toward the edge of his seat.

"A phoenix."

Leon blinked, "Isn't that in Arizona?"

D gave him a dry look, "Come on. It's not that obscure."

"Well, I don't know what the hell it is, so consider it obscure."

D sighed, "You haven't heard the term 'rising from the ashes'? It's a fire bird."

Leon smacked his forehead, "God, not another one of these things again. It's always mermaids and dragons with you."

D rolled his eyes, "Didn't it seem obvious he would make that type of a purchase here?"

Leon snorted, "Guess so," he put a hand on his chin, "I saw him today with a big-ass red bird thing. I guess that's what it was."

D's look deflated at the description, "Yes. He said he would stay in Los Angeles for a week."

"What for?"

"Sight-seeing, I suspect."

"So, what is it this time? Apparently this thing can go out into the open air and not maul him to pieces. What are the rules?"

"Feed him fresh fruits and vegetables, don't feed him water, and don't discard his ashes."

"Ashes?"

"Yes. When a phoenix dies, it catches on fire and burns into ashes. Then it's reborn through the ashes. The one I gave him was only just recently reborn."

Leon scowled, "What would he want with a phoenix?"

D shrugged, a frown creasing his brow, "It suited his fancy, so he bought it. Is there anything suspicious about that? Selling a customer what he wants?"

"No. But you know what is pretty damn suspicious?" Leon paused for a moment while D looked at him expectantly. Leon slammed his fist on the table, _"When a neurotic NATO officer starts seeing bird people!"_

D uncovered his ears, a scowl now firm in place, "Need I remind you about raising your voice in my store, Detective?!"

"The Major of all damn people started seeing shit! I saw a bird and he was getting his briefs all up in a bunch about Lord Gloria and some guy!"

"It's none of my concern if the Major is drinking during work hours and seeing things, Detective," D said tersely, "I sold Lord Gloria a phoenix. Need I remind you for the hundredth time? I sell pets, not people."

"But what Lord Gloria saw was a person, right!? So what was it? Did he see a babe? Dead wife or daughter, maybe?!"

D snorted, "Please. Lord Gloria's preferences are obvious."

"Blatant. That's not the point!"

"Lord Gloria saw a phoenix, Detective, I guarantee it. He wanted the most beautiful animal my shop had to offer, and the phoenix is what apparently met his standards."

"Fine," Leon wiped his nose with his thumb, his scowl not letting up, "But the Major wasn't seeing things. Well, he was--but he was clear minded."

"As clear minded as he would be around Lord Gloria? I'm sure you took note of their exchange."

Leon's eye brows furrowed, "Yeah. That was definitely weird."

"The Major was as concentrated as a laser until he came in. Why, I wonder," he watched Leon brood, taking a sip of tea.

"Wouldn't tell me. It put him completely over the edge whenever I brought anything like that up," Leon snorted, "Well, just anything having to do with gay people in general."

"Interesting. Is he a Christian? Catholic, perhaps."

"You'd figure, but no. He was just plain against it," Leon shook his head, "Just sex in general, actually, but homosexuality in particular."

"You seem affected by the very idea of that."

"Well, yeah! Come on--I thought he was just a fierce homophobe, but when he told me he basically doesn't even like to sleep with women..."

"What makes that so unbelievable?" D asked with a hint of annoyance.

Leon tipped his head, looking at D, "Hm. Figures that you wouldn't get around either," he flinched away from D slightly, "Though with you it's understandable..."

"How so?!"

"I don't mean it like that! It's not like you're hideous. You're--" Leon seemed to stop himself short, dragging his eyes away from D, his ears turning red, "You just don't seem to like anyone, is all."

"I like you, Detective," D said with a lazy smile.

The redness spread to Leon's face, but he quickly bristled up, "Not like that you don't!" his look faulted when D didn't answer that, his smile unwavering. He looked away again, "What I'm saying is that... it just seems weird, to me."

"Because he can get along with people either way?"

"I wouldn't say _that,_" Leon rolled his eyes, "Just the idea that you don't need sex _or_ friends."

"Not desirable, but understandable. Monks and priests will abstain themselves for a more pure existence. And, well... the friends part might just be a result of his personality."

Leon nodded with a shrug, then snorted, "Lord Gloria seemed to like him enough."

"The same can't be said of the Major."

Leon scowled deeply, staring at the ground between his knees, "Why would he see a guy instead of a bird..."

D watched him for a moment until he perked up. He rose out of his seat as the door to the shop groaned open, "Welcome," he said, and Leon at last picked his head up.

"Hi, I called earlier," a trimmed young man stalked up to D, but what was more noticeable was the lion-sized dog trailing behind him on a leash. It was bulky, reminding Leon somewhat of an English sheep-dog, only it was blatantly obvious that this dog was nothing so ordinary as that. It had thick, black fur, with a strange green sheen to it. It had a short muzzle, with two short, blunt teeth sticking out from the bottom, and pointy ears that had curly hair trailing on the end. It had a long tail, in one long braid. Its eyes were wide, black but when facing the light, had a sheen that looked like oil on water. It had curly, long eyebrows, which gave the dog the appearance of scowling. "This dog is _way_ too huge for my apartment!"

"Mertz..." Leon said to himself, but made no move to inform the man of his presence, instead trying his best to sink into the background and watch.

He watched D stare at the dog, that strange look in his eyes that Leon rarely experienced, since he was always absent or distracted when D made transactions. D took the leash silently and continued to smile at Mertz, "And the box?"

"Uh, well..." he dabbed his forehead with a handkerchief, shaking a bit, "He- he just... caught it. Out in the bushes near the apartment's pools. I- uh, well, I don't really know what to do with it..." he spoke more quietly, opening the box and showing it to D.

Leon shot up, "Hey, Mr. Mertz!" he rounded behind D, ignoring both Mertz's startled jump and D's glower.

"Detective Orcot! What are you doing here?" Mertz had quickly closed up the box, still visibly shaking.

"Just some business--getting rid of that dog, there? What kind is it?"

"Uh, well..."

"What's in the box?"

_"Detective,"_ D said through gritted teeth, pushing Leon away slightly, "Please, I'm trying to hear my customer's concerns."

"No problem," Leon stepped back, but watched as Mertz again opened the box. He only saw a flash of what was inside before D snapped the box shut and grabbed it hastily--a small torso, looking like thin black leather, stretched over a rising and falling ribcage, and what looked like a long, clawed foot.

"Thank you, sir, we'll take good care of it. I'm sorry for your trouble," D said, shaking Mertz's hand, "I'm afraid there was no refund given with this purchase, however."

"Uh, yeah, that's fine. Thank you." he looked down at the box and the dog again before stepping away, "It was nice seeing you again, Detective."

"Sure. We'll keep you informed about any leads in the case," he watched Mertz leave, turning back to see D looking into the box. D's eyes were wide, his red lips slightly pursed open. "What's in the box?"

D shut the box and turned away, "Just an injured animal."

"Right," he watched D disappear into a back room, the box in hand and the huge dog trailing behind.

"Here again, Detective?"

Leon jumped and swung around, looking wide eyed at Dorian. On his shoulder was indeed a massive bird, its feathers a fire red, the plumage on its head and its tail feathers glinting with blues and greens and yellows and oranges. Its long neck stretched out for a moment until it settled back, as if immediately recognizing its surrounding.

"That's a crazy bird you got there," he stepped up towards Dorian, eyeing the phoenix, "Those things legal?"

"I'm sure I wouldn't know," Dorian said, letting the phoenix hop onto his forearm and petting it down its back.

"You know, D's got a pretty big drug operation going on here."

"Oh?" Dorian watched the bird jump out of his arms and onto an armchair.

"Lots of money involved in that," he stepped up closer to Dorian, finding that he was shorter than him by only a small margin. "Know anything about that?"

Dorian laughed, "Are you trying to find reason to arrest me, Detective? Or do you just want to see me with handcuffs on?"

Leon stepped back, his ears turning red once more. He recovered, slightly, "I know who you are, Eroica."

"Oh, impressive," Dorian said, rolling his eyes, "You can speak to that insufferable man long enough to get something useful out of him."

"What brings an art thief to Los Angeles, I wonder?" Leon shoved his hands in his pockets, "After all, you made your purchase and you're still hanging around."

Dorian raised an eyebrow, then lifted up a delicately wrapped box he had been holding under his arm, "I'm here to enjoy the city, Detective, and if you're wondering about my sudden appearance now--well, I heard the Count enjoys sweets." He smiled brightly.

"Right," Leon gritted out, looking at the bird and Dorian back and forth. Before he could say more, he was urgently pushed out of the way.

D's eyes were fixed on the box in Dorian's hands, "English... _toffees,"_ he cooed, his fingers laced together almost in prayer.

"All for you, Count," Dorian said with a broad smile, handing D the box.

D sighed, hugging the box to him, "Would you like some tea, Lord Gloria?"

"That would be lovely."

Leon was then essentially pushed out of their attention as they began to talk idly over tea. He grumbled to himself as he sat down on a chair, "Not getting rid of me that easily..."

"Cinder seems to be happy, I see," D said, looking at the great bird as it perched itself next to Dorian on his chair.

Dorian looked up for a moment at the bird, "Oh yes, I suppose so," just as he said it his eyes landed on a rather large cat as it slunk by him.

D's smile tightened oddly, "What brings you here?"

Dorian sighed loftily, "Your shop beckoned to me again," he looked all around, "There's just something about it..."

D's smile turned more into a smirk--a look that worried Leon immediately upon seeing it. He was about to speak up, but D beat him to it, "Detective, do you have any more business here? Shouldn't you be getting home, soon?"

Leon scowled, "Jeez, D, _push me out the door_ why don't you." He stayed in his seat for a moment, the two other men looking at him expectantly yet patiently, much to Leon's irritation. He growled as he got up, "Lord Gloria."

"Say hello to the Major for me," Dorian said, twiddling his fingers, "Ta, darling. I'm sure we'll see each other again."

Leon scowled at the promise, and gave D one last scowl for good measure before slamming the door behind him.


	4. Doubt

"He still doesn't see us..." Pon-chan looked up at Lord Gloria with her wide hazel eyes, playing at his shirt from his lap, "He's pretty, though. I like him."

D smiled, nodding absently at something Dorian had said. Dorian was chatting it up quite happily, not noticing the stares he was getting all around the room.

"D's not going to talk to us," T-chan said with a growl, "Since the human's here and he can't see us."

"I wonder why," a voluptuous, cat-eared woman purred, stretching herself out further against Dorian's legs, "He seems very interested in us," she smiled and accepted the pat Dorian gave her on the head. She took his hand and rubbed it against her face, "Mm, I think like him too."

"Hey! Don't touch my human like that," Cinder bounced off his perch on the chair and scowled down at the cat, "He's mine."

The cat woman chuckled, "Really? He doesn't seem very interested in you at all..."

Cinder looked at Dorian, his brows creasing. He reached a hand out to Dorian's face, gently caressing it. Dorian looked, giving Cinder a brilliant smile, then kissed his hand before turning back to D without a second glance.

Cinder looked over at D, noticing that he had been watching. D's smile had lessened, looking Cinder in the eyes.

"Doesn't he like me?" Cinder asked, looking back at Dorian, "He seemed to like me yesterday. I thought I was what he wanted..."

"Count?"

D jolted a bit, looking back at Dorian, "I'm sorry, what?"

Dorian seemed to shrink back a bit, his look turning more sheepish, "Well... I had asked if you had any more animals here for me."

D frowned deeply. He rose up from his seat, taking Cinder by the shoulders--though to Dorian he appeared to have taken him by the belly and back. "Cinder is a special animal, Lord Gloria," D said, "He chose you."

Dorian retracted a bit from the both the bird and D, "Well, I... I didn't mean it like that--I'd still like to keep Cinder..."

"But he wasn't what you wanted," D said, a scowl forming, "You desired a beautiful pet, did you not?"

"Of course, and Cinder is that, for certain," Dorian sent a smile at Cinder, but it quickly dissipated under D's gaze.

"A phoenix rises from the flames reborn--you said you identified with that," he tipped his head, "Perhaps you want something to be reborn, Lord Gloria?"

Dorian rose slowly up from his seat, his eyes wide. He looked away quickly, "I... suppose so," he felt D gazing at him, and so he turned back. He frowned more, "Perhaps... I thought something as beautiful as Cinder could rekindle my desire," he seemed burdened when D still looked at him without answer, "I haven't... lost it. Something has just barred the vigor from me."

"From stealing the beautiful?" D was back to his smile. He pet Cinder's long neck, "Perhaps this pet was too easily attained, then."

"I'm not opposed to obtaining beauty when it is readily available, Count. I still _want_ Cinder--"

"But you need something more. And it is not through a phoenix that Eroica will be reborn through the ashes," D smiled widely, a glint coming into his eyes when Dorian smiled back.

"I suppose you're right," Dorian said, and was again back to his brilliant smile, "Wonderful. So, what do you have for me?"

D placed a hand on Cinder's head, almost apologetically. "I'll be back," he said and disappeared into a back room.

Dorian looked at Cinder as well, then sat back down on his chair, "You chose me, huh?"

"He's talking to us now?" Pon-chan said to T-chan, but was then immediately shushed by all other pets in the room.

Cinder placed a hand on Dorian's. Dorian petted the plumage on his head, and after a moment Cinder kissed him on the lips. Dorian smiled, then looked away, resting his cheek on his fist, "You're lovely to me..." he said with a sigh, then looked off into empty space.

Cinder frowned, placing a hand on Dorian's chest, "I can't make him smile."

"He smiles a lot," one of the cats said below him, looking up with glinting yellow eyes.

Cinder shook his head, "Not only when he means it."

All turned to look as D walked back into the room. Rather than an animal, he held a newspaper. He stalked up to Dorian, pointing at a picture in an article. A great, black leopard's face engulfed the ink. "That's an endangered species new to the Los Angeles zoo."

Dorian's eyebrows raised, "Yes, and...?"

D smirked, "It was stolen some weeks ago," Dorian now stood more at attention, taking the newspaper from D, "I know from the Chinese Mafia that a seedy underground club has been using him as decoration on the weekends as an attraction. They keep him locked up for the rest of the week."

Dorian looked up, eyes wide. He slowly smiled, "Are you suggesting what I think you are?"

"Oh, well, of course not--that is, if my dear Detective ever asks," D smiled brightly.

"In a dark club like that, people wouldn't appreciate him," Dorian rose up from his seat, "A beautiful specimen like him can't be barred from the world. He deserves so much more than that," he looked back at D, "You want him."

"I do," D said, "but the likes of me couldn't possibly get away with such a heist."

"No, no--especially not with that silly American breathing down your neck," Dorian waved a hand in the air, his smile bright, "Yes..." he looked back at D, "I'll do it."

"It will be dangerous," D's smile didn't wane.

Dorian laughed, "All the better," he looked back at Cinder, holding an arm out. Cinder grabbed his arm and clung to it. "I suppose I'll think more about buying another pet--for now I'll worry about this."

"A wise decision," D said, watching as Dorian made for the door.

"I'll be back--leopard in hand," Dorian chuckled and waved as he left.

D glided back to his seat, and the curvaceous cat slid into his lap, purring, "Poor Cinder. Humans can be so picky."

D sighed, "Some far more than others, it seems."

"Why can't he see us, D?" Pon-chan said, placing her little hands on his leg.

D's brow creased, "I'm not sure, to be honest," he looked back at Pon-chan, "Lord Gloria seems on the surface to be very open, but I suppose something is... holding him back," D smiled a bit, an eyebrow raising. He let the animals around him sit and wonder.

_--_

Los Angeles experienced a rare day of rainy weather the next time Klaus found himself in the LAPD. There was downpour all day, the grey sky suffocating any traces of blue or sun like a thick blanket. Klaus looked at the drops showering the windows, almost in an attempt to shut out the chaos all around him. The police department was still as busy as ever, come rain or shine--though, Klaus supposed with a snort, it was better than everyone sitting around like sacks of potatoes.

"Nescafe, black," Leon said as he came up next to Klaus, setting down a coffee cup and taking a sip from his own. Klaus grunted and took the cup in hand. Leon studied him for a moment, a scowl on his face, "So? What's the news?"

"Agents A and B have gathered intel. We now know a club he's been known to frequent--the Velvet Cat."

Leon's look darkened, "That sleazy place. We've been getting trouble from them for years. It's a breeding ground for crime--anything you can think of and it's a vacuum for it."

Klaus raised an eyebrow, "Is international terrorism counted in that?"

Leon shrugged, "Maybe. Is that what you suspect?"

"Ja. We know for certain he's kept in contact with the groups he's been known to affiliate with--which ranges from Neo-Nazis in Berlin to multiple radical groups from the Middle East and Asia who now find themselves in the U.S." Klaus sat back against a desk, "He's a contractor, after all."

Leon nodded, "You don't go into the Velvet Cat just to party. What're you looking to find there?"

"Anything," Klaus said, again looking out of the dark window, "Schaefer's careful. We only know about his contacts--the jobs he takes are something we can only speculate about."

"You think he's been given a job?"

Klaus jaw clenched, "I don't know what to think. It can be almost anything. He could have been killed as far as we know. It would be understandable considering he's not exactly loyal to these groups. Then again, it could be another job he's disappeared for."

Leon sighed, "Huh. Feeling around in the dark for who knows what."

"Essentially," Klaus dipped into his pockets for a pack of cigarettes.

"So, we're hitting the club?" Leon asked with a smirk.

Klaus lit his cigarette, "You know the local customs and criminals far better than I do, so you're obliged to go, I suppose," he scowled at the goofy smile that came onto Leon's face, "You won't bugger around, I hope."

"Nah, man--I'll keep on it. I just heard crazy stories about that place."

"The likes of what? Murders? Drug operations?"

"Well, yeah--that and the babes they have dancing on poles," he got a dreamy look on his face, and Klaus was sure that Leon would begin to salivate. Leon shook himself out of his stupor, "You can't stop me from _looking_, right?"

Klaus sighed haggardly, "You're going to get us both killed. We can't compromise a thing--especially for the sake of your _urges."_

"Relax, I'll be good. On the look out and all that--I promise," he saluted Klaus with a smirk, to which Klaus grimaced and turned away.

"Fine, but I won't babysit you."

"You want me to do that?" Jill seemingly appeared out of nowhere behind Leon, making him jump out of his skin. She put a hand on Leon's shoulder, smiling, "I can make sure Leon here doesn't get himself into anything--I'll even keep him on the ball and working if you want me to."

Klaus raised an eyebrow, "Who might you be?"

"Jill Freshney, at your service. I'm another officer in Leon's department," she shook Klaus' hand, "I assume you're Major von dem Eberbach."

Klaus grunted brusquely, "I appreciate your help. It's a sad day when a detective needs to be watched for his behavior by his peer."

"Hey, come on! I said I wouldn't do anything!" Leon threw his hands up in the air, but was thoroughly ignored by both Jill and Klaus.

"Don't trust his word--the guy can do his job, but he's got a problem with concentration. He'd get distracted _fast_ at a place like the Velvet Cat. So I'll pretend to be his possessive date in case anyone wants to shake their goods around him!" she clutched Leon's arm and gave him a wide grin, which Leon met with a scowl.

"What are you planning?" Leon grumbled quietly. Jill quickly shushed him.

Klaus grunted again, "So be it."

"Of course, Leon may just be a strain on the whole thing..." she pushed Leon's arm away, stepping up to Klaus again, "You know, I know the area better than he even does. He's too busy with Count D to really keep up with all of the new happenings. I could always just be the one to escort you, Major," she fluttered her eye lashes at him, her smile wider.

Klaus face turned to stone. He shrank away from Jill, "No, that's fine. Detective Orcot wants to help lead this case, don't you?" he looked up at Leon expectantly.

"Yes! I do, thank you very much!" Leon said loudly, clenching his teeth at Jill.

"I'll appreciate both you and Detective Orcot's help--let's make it tonight," he stalked across the room and grabbed his coat, "Soon as possible, in fact," he grumbled to himself.

Jill's look deflated, "Oh, okay..."

"Make it ten, on the dot, then," Leon said across the room, a triumphant grin on his face.

"I don't expect _you_ on the dot, but fine," Klaus left without another word.

Leon looked over to Jill, grinning widely at her sulking expression, "Ha! You're trying to get into his pants!"

Jill blushed, "You don't have to be so damn blunt about it. A nice dinner and a movie would suffice," she looked on after the door, "The girls at the front office were right. He certainly is handsome--gorgeous, almost."

Leon rolled his eyes, "I'd forget it if I were you."

"I won't! You think I'm going to pass on a blue blooded, rich, handsome and _single_ guy like that?! And he's European! They're great lovers!"

Leon snorted, "Why do you think he's unmarried?" he looked at her pointedly.

Jill frowned a bit, "Well... some guys just aren't ready to make a commitment."

"He hates women, Jill. People in general."

"Oh, well," Jill curled a hair around her finger, "Things like that can be changed, with the right girl and all..."

Leon snorted, "Yeah, that's why he avoided your idea to go alone with him like something nasty."

"Well, maybe he's just shy!"

"Nope. Well," Leon scowled a bit, "he gave only practical reasons for avoiding marriage and sex like the plague, but maybe that does have something to do with it. He didn't seem to mind you at all until you offered up that idea, though."

"Then maybe he can unwind himself tonight," Jill smiled, "Maybe a club as wild as that will loosen him up."

Leon suddenly thought of the idea of Klaus... dancing. At a club. He burst out laughing, causing Jill to frown. "Oh God," Leon wiped a tear from his eye, "After just two days of knowing the guy... something like that would make hell freeze over."

"Is he that bad?"

Leon raised both eyebrows, looking at her incredulously, "Yes."

Jill felt an odd shudder run down her spine at that, and it wasn't at all a pleasant one. She shook her head, "I don't believe you. He was acting perfectly fine to me."

"Well, believe me, you'll understand full well what I'm saying tonight. The guy's a jerk. In fact, you'd hate it if you went out with him--he's probably the type to treat girlfriends like shit. Boss them around, burst out in angry German phrases..." his look soured at the suddenly thoughtful look Jill had gotten, "Don't tell me that turns you _on."_

Jill sighed, "Oh, Leon. You don't understand women _at all."_

She left him with a swish of her ponytail, sticking her nose up in the air. Leon grumbled to himself, "I sure as fuck don't," and fell heavily on his office chair, turning around to watch the rain.

--

Dorian was only mildly surprised to find that he knew some of the patrons at the Velvet Cat; it was a hot spot for criminals, after all, and very popular. He tried his best to fade into the background, however. He wore nothing too flashy--black, tight leather pants, blood red, knee-high leather boots, a silk black shirt unbuttoned nearly to his stomach, a red velvet sports jacket and a black choker with a ruby dangling at the center. Chic, but purposely lacking his usual flashiness.

After he was pulled away by multiple friends and acquaintances, and after giving a sufficient amount of kisses, hugs and 'how are you's, Dorian hung by the bar. He only sipped at a martini, determined to make it last the whole night if he had to. He looked around, his eyes already adjusted to the dark nightclub. Bright lights flashed over the multiple bodies crowding the dance floor, with the occasional strobe that would pulse so fast it made Dorian dizzy for a moment until it stopped. While he hadn't been to a nightclub in a long while, he didn't find the environment terribly affronting, which relieved him slightly. The boisterous and loud chaos was just as easy to meld into as it was years ago.

Though he had to say he didn't really appreciate the decoration. Women danced in cages up above the dance floor, appearing as mere shadows in the dim light. The music was rather glaring, too--he found he hadn't really liked club music after the whole disco era died. The people all around him seemed to have some variety, at least--men with a gaggle of women surrounding them, or women with men gathered all around them, and most notably to Dorian, men casting him some stray looks. There were young and old, most bordering on the rough side. Eye patches and scars weren't simply a trend, here.

He hoped it wasn't too suspicious to his friends that he wasn't attempting to make himself the life of the party, but he supposed they wouldn't expect him to be doing what he was there to do in the first place. At that thought, he furthered his observations all around. It was too dark in the club to notice details, but he could make out the basic make-up. The dance floor was the expanse of it, and off to the side was the almost equally crowded bar. Above him was a loft, accessed by a spiral, iron staircase. Under the loft and around the bar there were sitting areas, most filled up at this point, although he noticed there were a few doors which surely led to rooms for private seating. Dorian bit his lip as he realized he would have to cut through the dance floor to find what he wanted to find.

He finished his martini and began the walk, at first being rather cordial as he cut through the writhing crowd. After someone jumping up and down bopped him on the head, however, he began to get more rough. He grimaced a bit as he was forced to push away sweltering bodies, none of which would get out of his way easily. As he made his way down further, he began to feel violated. He felt hands touching his hair, hips bumping against his, and once he swore someone brushed a hand up against his behind. Occasionally a hand would attempt to stop him at his shoulder, which he would shirk away from, a bit annoyed that total strangers thought they could just grab him like that.

He sighed deeply as he finally reached the end of it, barely tolerating the booming stereo he stood next to. He shrunk away from the crowd more, flattening himself up against a wall. He frowned a bit. It was a weekend, was it not? But no leopard was in sight. He looked up, gasping a bit as he saw steel bars on the wall behind him.

He stepped back as far as he could. He could make out in the darkness a built in cage, the bars flashing against the lights of the club. He stepped up to it again, careful not to put his fingers in it but still trying to get a look inside. He gasped a bit as he saw movement, only to frown as a man appeared. "Phooey," he thought, "Just another cage dancer."

Despite his apparent failure to find the leopard, Dorian couldn't help but stare at the man in front of him--he figured he could indulge himself somewhat, after all. The man was lithe, but somewhat muscular, appearing long and lean as he... crawled to Dorian. Well, that was a little strange. The man appeared to be balancing on his long fingers, and if Dorian could have seen out further behind the cage he would've seen he was balancing on the balls of his feet as well. He looked at Dorian curiously, his eyes piercing and glowing a strange gold. Strands of black hair fell over his face, and as he stood Dorian saw that his hair was incredibly long, black and silky, held in a loose ponytail. He had dark, abstract tattoos designed over his tanned body, and multiple piercings on both of his ears--which seemed strangely long--and one on a nipple. He wore nothing except tight, black leather pants with a leather belt hanging low on his hips. He arched an elegant eyebrow at Dorian, a very handsome yet mischievous smirk appearing on his face.

"Won't they fire you for not dancing?" Dorian asked, having to raise his voice over the music.

The man tipped his head. Then he smirked again, crouching down low, closer to Dorian's face. "I'm not paid to dance," he said, his voice low and baritone, but having an odd accent that Dorian couldn't quite pinpoint.

Dorian felt a strange flutter in his stomach. Without thought he lightly brushed back one of the strands falling into the man's face. The man smirked a bit more lusciously at that. Dorian gasped a bit, retracting his hand, "I dare say, you aren't an elaborate escort of some sort, are you?!"

The man laughed, "No. I'm not that either."

Dorian smirked a bit, "All right. I'll take your word for it." For a moment his eyes strayed away from the man. He scoped all around him, frowning a bit. He looked back and flashed his most coy smile, "Would you happen to know where I can find a large cat around here?"

The man sat fully on his stomach, resting his face in his hands, the smirk still firmly planted on his face. He hummed thoughtfully at Dorian's question before answering, "A cat?"

"The leopard they keep here, of course," Dorian, attempting the same smirk the man gave him.

"Well, I could tell you where they keep it the rest of the week, if you want," the man leaned in closer to Dorian, "if you really want to see it that badly."

Dorian leaned in closer as well, "Oh, I do."

The man chuckled a bit, then leaned slightly out of the cage while Dorian leaned in more. The man held him under his chin for a moment and whispered in his ear. Dorian attempted to block noises all around them and concentrate only on the whispering voice, but found that concentrating only on the man's voice was hard, when his hot breath was fanning over his skin and the hand holding his chin was more like a soft caress. He managed to hold concentration, just barely."At a warehouse just underneath this club. There's always someone watching down there."

"Thank you, darling," Dorian said with a heat filled sigh. "Ta for now," he stole a kiss from between the cage bars, smiling at the eagerness it was met with. He felt a pleasant twinge when the man separated with a small nip at Dorian's bottom lip, but none the less stepped back from the cage and turned, beginning to walk away.

He heard a large rattle from behind him and looked back, startled. The man had pressed himself up against the cage on his knees, reaching a hand out at Dorian, his tattooed hand clenching out to grab, his face indistinguishable in the pitch black of the club. Dorian hesitated, wondering for a moment if he'd regret going back. Soon, however, the DJ of the club's voice came booming through, and the man almost jumped into the back of his cage.

Dorian walked quickly away, almost relishing in the crowd that was still just as grabby before. He was now determined to get lost in that crowd, so long as he avoided that dark cage again. Almost immediately the crowd engulfed him, and so he indulged a bit, his goal for the night complete. He thoroughly avoided females that were too inclined to groping and concentrated more on some attractive males that were inclined to the very same habit. He never stayed with them for very long, leaving them to yell after him or try and follow him, eventually failing. In a moment he was flushed and smiling brilliantly, even allowing some to throw him around.

He was thrown into the chest of yet another stranger--this one particularly fit. He grabbed on without thought, only to smile even more as his eyes met an astonished face.

"Detective Orcot! What an odd place to find you!" he hooked his arms around Leon's waist.

"What are _you_ doing here?!" Leon yelled, his posture stiffening significantly.

"Lighten up, love," Dorian chuckled, though it couldn't be heard. Leon grabbed him by the hands to try and pry him off, but Dorian only held onto his hands, laughing as Leon still tried to pull away.

Then Leon looked back, his face almost melting in relief. Dorian looked with him, his face changing into a much different expression.

"There you, are, Leon! You idiot!" Jill yelled as she pushed herself out between two people, and trailing behind her, holding onto her arm, Klaus pushed the same two people thoroughly out of the way, ignoring the glares they cast him for it.

Dorian looked from Jill to Klaus for a moment, then practically glued himself to Leon, hugging him by the chest and digging his face slightly into his neck.

"Major! Now this certainly is a surprise," Dorian smiled tightly, and Leon could feel the chest pressed up against him force out a few chuckles.

"Let go of him, you god damned pervert!" Klaus' voice could be heard best over the music of the club--so well that even others dancing around them stopped to stare, "Go find another plaything to amuse yourself with! We're on duty."

"Oh?" Dorian lazily played with a few stray hairs on Leon's forehead, who had become surprisingly passive since the Major's appearance.

_"Let go of him now!"_

_"What?! I'm afraid I can't hear you! You must speak louder!"_

_"You can hear me fine, you blithering dolt!!"_

_"Pardon?!"_

"You two know each other?" Jill suddenly got between them, scowling as Leon rolled his eyes. She huffed a bit, "Okay, well, that's obvious! Who are you?!"

"Why should that concern you?" Dorian looked at Jill pointedly, almost with a scowl. Jill shrunk slightly under his gaze.

Leon finally let out a frustrated growl. He pushed Dorian away from him while he was off guard, but soon after grabbed him roughly by the upper arm. "Come on!" he yelled to both Jill and Klaus, then began to drag Dorian across the dance floor.

Dorian rolled his eyes, but none the less allowed himself to be dragged. He forced himself to look ahead, until once he couldn't help but look back. Jill just barely kept up with the Major's pace, but held on tightly to his thick arm. Dorian quickly looked away again, but not without a flourish with his hair and raising his nose up.

Leon breathed a sigh of relief as they entered the bar area. He let go of Dorian and quickly sat down at a table booth, smirking unapologetically at the group he had cut off from it, sticking his tongue out at them for good measure after they gave him nasty glares and left. Dorian sat down next to Leon, his lips tightening to a straight line as Klaus and Jill appeared yet again, Klaus now with a hand on her shoulder. They quickly spotted them and started over.

"The fuck was that about?" Leon hissed to Dorian before the two came near.

"What was what about?" Dorian asked, looking at him sideways.

Before Leon could answer, a hand slammed down in the middle of their table. Dorian looked up, not noticing as Jill sat down next to him.

"Just what the hell are you--" Dorian burst out laughing before Klaus could finish. Klaus was taken aback, "What are you--"

"Oh God, Major, you're just so priceless," he wiped a tear from his eye, resisting a few giggles to catch his breath, "So adorable. You can't even dress down for a club like this?"

The Major, of course, was dressed in his usual stringent suit, perfectly iron and creased--the only one in the club wearing sensible, plain brown, of course. "Idiot," he snapped, "You expect me to wear something ridiculous? A god damned leisure suit perhaps?"

Dorian looked at him again, then laughed more, _"Something_ other than _that."_

"The hell is wrong with this?! You'd rather I dress like a god damned fop in jewels and lace?!"

Leon shrugged a bit sheepishly, "You do stick out like a sore thumb," he didn't relent when Klaus sent him a deathly glare. "You look like you're here for business. I thought you didn't want to attract too much attention."

"I'm _not. _Why would I dress like... like _that_," he pointed at Dorian, who looked at his finger dryly, "_That _attracts attention."

"Not as much as a bland suit and a scary look." Jill shirked a bit as the Major sent her a glare. "A black suit would have even been better."

Dorian perked up a bit, "Oh, I agree, that would've been nice to see," he looked both at her and Leon a moment. Jill was dressed in a short black dress with her hair up, and Leon dressed in black jeans and a red and black shirt. Dorian looked back at Klaus, "You couldn't have taken a note from them?"

_"No one gives a shit, you ridiculous fop!"_ Klaus slammed his fist down on the table once more, "What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Come now, Major," Dorian said in an almost chiding voice, "A few friends invited me," to his good luck, one such friend walked by, so he twiddled her a wave, "How could I ever expect to meet you here? I'm just as surprised as you are."

The Major growled, "You're never surprised, idiot."

"Oh, sure I am. Just after so many years, it wears off far more quickly," he flipped his hair back and looked at Klaus with a smile.

"You have friends here?" Jill suddenly asked before Klaus could counter.

Dorian looked over at her mildly, "Yes. What of it?"

"We need to talk to someone here who knew Wolfgram," Jill said, leaning in a bit closer, then perked up a bit, "Sorry, you do know about this, right?"

Dorian smiled widely, looking over at Klaus slyly, "Why, no."

"He's the man we're looking for. Did you know him?"

"Mm, no. I don't think I would. My friends are more under Interpol's watch than NATO's," he smiled tightly at her, "Go on."

"Everyone who we've asked about him has referred us to a man named George. Do you know him?"

"I suspect someone I know will," Dorian said with a bright smile, "Why should I help you?"

The table was silent for a moment.

Klaus growled, "Why wouldn't you?"

Dorian's eyes wheeled up to him once more, "Major, you've grown far too comfortable with asking favors of me," before Klaus could interject, Dorian continued on in a louder tone, "You're asking me to fish out a friend of my own friend--which may not mean much to you lot, but in my circle, it would make me a traitor."

"We don't want to arrest him," Jill said, "We only want to talk to him--ask him what he knows about Wolfgram."

Dorian sniggered, "Silly girl. I'd be a criminal cooperating with the police. Who's to say George didn't have something to do with his disappearance? If that were the case, I'd be partially responsible for putting him in jail. Do you understand how that would make me look?"

"We can't get to him ourselves," Leon said, "We already look suspicious enough from asking people about Wolfgram. We'd never get to meet him for sure they figured out we were cops."

Dorian laughed a bit, "The Major here already makes you all look painfully obvious, I'm afraid."

Klaus braced his hands on the table, glaring hard at him. Dorian stared back, his smile growing.

"You owe me," Klaus said.

"Do I, now?" Dorian asked. When the Major's look didn't wane, neither did Dorian's smile. It only widened. "I do love it when you glare at me like that, darling."

"Switzerland, Eroica," Klaus said, raising an eyebrow, "I'm sure they miss the painting of their queen. Hanging rather proudly in your North Downs castle, isn't it?"

Dorian's look faltered. He huffed, "Damn," he rose from his seat, "You play so unfairly."

"Ha!" Klaus rounded on Dorian, "After all those times you've blackmailed me? You've never played fair in the first place."

Dorian pouted, "I don't do it as much anymore."

"Oh, well, then you're just so damn forgivable now, aren't you?"

"All right, all right," Leon got up, getting between the two, "That's enough. Let's do this," as Jill stood up next to him, he looked at Dorian, "You know who to ask?"

Wordlessly, Dorian darted to the other side of the room, not even looking to see whether the three of them followed. Before they could catch up to him, they saw him talking to a red headed women with a haughty face wearing a long dress. She flashed slightly crooked teeth at Dorian, then nodded, talking into his ear and pointing somewhere before she herself darted off, giving Dorian a peck on the cheek.

"That was easy," Dorian said as they came up behind him.

Immediately he started down behind the bar area, this time allowing the three to trail behind him. The music and the flashing lights dispersed as they entered a cold hallway, and all felt relieved at the sound of their thoughts again. Their footsteps began to be tap loudly on the cement floor, causing a prominent echo to ring out.

"You didn't want to be seen with us, right?" Leon asked.

"Of course. You already said you look suspicious. Besides, the Major would have distracted my friend back there--possibly made him a wonderful conversation piece, but that would have stalled us."

Klaus frowned, "What do you mean by that?"

Dorian chuckled, "They still remember after all those years, darling," he gave Klaus a fond look, "Though in her case it's all been word of mouth."

While Klaus snorted, Jill perked up a bit, "What happened?"

Dorian turned around. Seeing Jill now hanging onto Leon in the relative dimness, he felt something odd sting him in the stomach. He ignored it. "The Major decided to crash my Thieves Guild meeting..." Dorian put a hand up to his face, a horrified look coming across his face, "Dear God, it was fifteen years ago! Or perhaps fourteen. When did I get so old?" he chuckled to himself slightly.

Jill gasped, "You don't look a day over thirty! Don't even worry about it."

"Oh, thank you dear. Five years off me isn't so bad," he flashed her a smile.

"So, go on. That couldn't be all that happened."

"Right. Simply put, the Major made an impression on my friends. They thought of him as very entertaining. And ever since then they know him to be following me."

Klaus rolled his eyes, "It's you who follows me, nitwit. A damn thorn on my side."

Dorian chuckled lowly, looking at the Major with lidded eyes, "Roses do have thorns, Major."

"Idiot."

They ceased talking as they turned around on a sharp corner and found ahead of them a steel door with a large bodyguard in front of it. To the surprise of all, Dorian walked right up to the brute and flashed him a wide smile. "Would you be a dear and tell George that Dorothy wants her favor returned now?"

The huge man grunted, though he scowled a bit at the three behind Dorian before slipping inside the door.

"What would you have done without me?" he looked more at Klaus than anyone else, fluttering his eyelashes.

The door jolted open, and a hand waved them in. They went up a cramped stairway until the distinct smell of cigars wafted down to them. They stepped up into a bright yellow light, which nearly blinded them for a moment until their eyes adjusted.

A very deep baritone voice sounded, "You're not Dorothy."

To Dorian's immense relief, the speaker's tone didn't at all sound annoyed--just amused and curious. He smiled brightly, his eyes widening a bit as a black man, taller and broader than both Klaus and himself stepped up to them. He was bald, his head shining under the light, and handsome with sharp eyes and skin as dark as black oil. He appeared to have a deep scar on his bald head, and a chunk of one of his ears was missing. He wore a dark blue velvet suit and a hot pink turtleneck, his fingers and wrists glinting with gold jewelry. He smiled at them, though Dorian could detect that his amusement may be easily short-lived, as he had two garishly dressed women waiting for him in the sofa he had risen from.

Dorian smiled, "No, a good friend of hers. I suppose you can call me Dorothy if you want, though."

George's eyes glinted, a smirk coming across his face, "Eroica, possibly?" when Dorian nodded, he laughed, showing stark white teeth, "Yeah, I know you. The Prince of Thieves--heard all about you when I was down in Morocco in '87. What's an aristocrat like you doing in a dive like this?" he hadn't yet acknowledged the other presences in the room, his bright eyes solely on Dorian.

"Just my usual gallivanting; nothing special."

The chuckle George gave to that betrayed the cunning glint in his eyes. The stare was a knowing one, but Dorian met it confidently. "Then to what do I owe this pleasure? I hope Dorothy didn't waste her privilege on you," he now looked more at Klaus, Leon and Jill, an eyebrow raising slightly.

"I'm sure you've heard all about the great armored tank that's been a bother to me," Dorian waved his hand to the back of him, "He's at it again, if you didn't already guess."

George's eyes concentrated solely on Klaus now, his eyes widening, "Iron Klaus, is it?" his white teeth showed again, a laugh coming through, "Now what is NATO doing here? That's awful strange."

"I'm sorry, George, but he'd like to ask you a few questions," Dorian said, giving a distressed sigh, "It will only be a moment."

George's look didn't at all deter, "Nothing to it, honey. Let's just hope it's the right questions and you won't have nothing to worry about." He flashed a big white smile at them all, not at all a pleasant one. Dorian looked at Klaus with a glare while Klaus seemed visibly unaffected. Leon and Jill gulped stepped up next to Dorian, looking George in the eyes. George chuckled, "The scourge of all men's existence, is it? Of course I'm not just talking about communists and terrorists, here," he now looked more at Dorian, emitting a small sigh, "I came fifteen years too late, I guess?"

"I wouldn't say that..." Dorian twirled a lock of his hair, giving a wide smile.

Klaus looked at them with a grimace, his teeth gritting. He cleared his throat loudly. George turned back to him, the smirk replaced with a slight scowl. "You knew Lee Wolfgram, did you not?" Klaus said, meeting the scowl with a greater one of his own.

"Yeah. What of it? Haven't been hearing from him in a while." George for once looked to be taken off-guard.

Klaus took note of his expression. "Understandably. He's disappeared."

George was taken aback. He blinked rapidly, "That's damn strange."

"What can you tell us?"

"That guy would come here and pick up as many bimbos and queers as possible," he looked both at Dorian and the two women behind him quickly, "No offense," he chuckled slightly, "I have to admit that he's made it into my bed once or twice--not a bad lay at all, mind you. He's got a weird thing going on, though. Even though he takes just about anything, he strives for big crime bosses and the leaders in terrorist cell organizations," George shook his head, "Probably why he came here to do it rather than your local dive bar."

Klaus blinked rapidly, as if trying to register everything. "He... he sleeps with terrorists?"

George shrugged, "S'what he told me."

"Any names?" Klaus frowned at the thought.

"None that I can remember," he laughed slightly, "Did tell me he slept with a repressed Neo-Nazi, only to have to escape from Berlin 'cause they were all going to kill him after that."

Klaus almost felt sick to his stomach. "He's never done any crimes you know of?"

George waved a hand at him, "Pfft, sure. I'm positive he's done his share--nothing he'd tell me, but he had to get into those terrorist's pants somehow."

Klaus sighed deeply, scantly relieved. "I think that's all. Thank you for your cooperation."

"My pleasure," he grabbed Klaus' hand to shake, and Klaus didn't refuse, considering the strong grip George held him with. Klaus had to resist pulling away when George squeezed his hand for a moment, however, looking at his face thoughtfully. "You are pretty easy on the eye, Iron Klaus."

"Let's go!" Klaus jerked his hand away and practically sped out the door, far before any of the rest of them could even acknowledge the command.

George chuckled, looking back at Dorian, "You poor thing."

Dorian sighed, "Now you know what I must suffer through," he smiled and began to make his way through the door, Jill and Leon following close behind, having decided to make themselves discreet.

"When you've finally had enough of iron, you're always welcome to come back for some black silk," he smiled when Dorian looked back, "I'll treat you well, Dorothy."

Dorian laughed earnestly, blowing him a kiss before slipping out the door. Leon and Jill looked back as George turned away, both having to resist laughing outright as he began humming _"Ebony and Ivory" _in his low baritone, choosing instead to jet out the door.

"That went splendidly, wouldn't you say?" Dorian smiled brightly, a slight flush on his cheeks.

"That guy has shit going on," Leon said with a shudder, "He's not just running a night club, here."

"He must have connections in the department or with the mayor," Jill said, a frown forming, "'cause you know we've never even heard of him before."

"Must be paying a lot..."

"Inconsequential," Dorian said with a wave of his hand, "He gave us the information we wanted, did he not, Major?"

The Major was either sulking or brooding off into a corner of the cold hallway, puffing at a cigarette. He stamped it out and looked at Dorian with a scowl, "That and more," he shook his head, then gave Dorian a more pointed glare, "You can shove off now, you know. You're done here."

Dorian frowned, folding his arms together, "That's not very nice, considering I just helped you and all."

"Begrudgingly."

"If you had opened the idea in a nicer way, you know I would have done it without thought," Dorian sighed slightly, nearly looking over at Jill but resisting, "I only made you try a bit harder because I was a little... upset with you."

Klaus snorted, "I don't care for your sensibilities. You should know that."

"I should, I suppose," Dorian turned away quickly, making a show to swish his hair and give one last glare at the Major. Before he could take another step, however, a hand latched on to his shoulder. He looked back, pulling off Klaus' grip with an incredulous scowl. "I thought I was dismissed?"

"I just thought I'd point out that you're being even more of an idiot than usual," Klaus looked him in the eyes, "And I don't care for it at all."

Dorian welled up, "I thought I was always stupid, Major? Isn't it just more nonsense for you to wave off or be indignant toward? Why should you expect anything else from a ridiculous fop like me?!"

Klaus was taken aback, blinking rapidly. He spoke before he thought better of it, and he wondered later why he didn't just let the idiot storm off in a fuss. He grabbed Dorian's arm again, "Quit acting like we're on a damn soap opera, you nitwit! Why are you acting so melodramatic?"

Dorian struggled with the words in his throat, nearly sputtering for a moment before he huffed. "Forget about it, Major. May I leave now?" he looked from the hand on his arm to Klaus' face, his look of fury settling into a tired frown.

Klaus only looked at Dorian, the fire pit in his stomach simmering into something odd. He let go of his arm, and Dorian turned away quickly, clutching his arms as he disappeared into the dark hallway, the clapping of his feet on the ground dying out with him.

Leon and Jill stayed silent throughout the argument, looking on with wide eyes. They didn't speak, watching as Klaus scowled hard down the hallway for at least a minute. Then he looked back at the two, the flick of his eyes making them both jump.

"What are you looking at?!" he practically barked, the scowl on his face now firmer than before.

"Nothing! Nothing," Jill answered quickly, holding her arms up in defense.

"Uh... Wolfgram," Leon ventured, watching Klaus carefully.

Klaus sighed, then shook his head, "We'll discuss it at a better time and place," he said, then resolutely stalked down the hallway, leaving both Jill and Leon perturbed.

"What was that all about?" Jill whispered as if Klaus was still within ear range.

"Who knows," Leon said with a shrug, then followed Klaus, Jill close behind.


	5. Daring

After making his usual rounds, swerving around the piles of crates and boxes in his convenient golf cart, the security guard fell heavily into his seat at his station. Graveyard shift was never fun--he'd much rather be sleeping in his bed than watching motionless shadows. Nothing ever happened down there, he thought with a snort.

Before he could have another thought, however, he heard sliding on the roof of his station. He looked up, a confused scowl forming on his brow. He watched the ceiling for a moment, until he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He saw a flash of blond hair and blue eyes.

"Boo."

Something sprayed him in the face and he lost his vision, going limp in his chair.

"That was easy," Dorian chuckled, putting the lid on the knock-out spray and latching it back onto his belt. He would have to thank Bonham later for packing it out of caution. His eyes kept sharp, scoping all around as well as listening. He was told there was only one guard, but he couldn't always be sure. Once he was sure it was mostly safe, he lurked on, not making a sound as he walked.

He was rather shocked to find such a large warehouse underneath the club. It had high ceilings, sure to produce loud echos if any sound came. He ran his gloved hand across crates as he walked, the dim light making it hard to see, even with his eyes adjusted.

Dorian smiled as he spotted a large cage, surrounded by a few large boxes. It was tucked away, a shadow cast over it, so he couldn't quite see if it was the cat or not. Hesitantly he made his way forward. For some odd reason a sense of foreboding came over him, but he excused it as the dark and shadows simply playing tricks on him.

He bent down to look under the cage. His eyes widened.

"You!" Dorian said, covering his mouth as a loud echo answered him.

Dorian stared incredulously at the man in the cage--the same in the night club. He looked much less cunning, his smirk gone and replaced with tired eyes and a confused frown. One of his hands gripped at the bars and he brought his face closer to peer at Dorian.

"You came..." the man's golden eyes widened.

"What on earth..." Dorian's head swam. He blinked rapidly to try and recover, "What are you doing here?! Where is the leopard?"

"I am the leopard."

Dorian blinked. After about a minute, he blinked again. "What?"

The man tipped his head, "Isn't it obvious?"

Dorian thought back. The man was the only dancer at the club not dancing, and the only one in a cage in the wall. As far as Dorian could tell, there was no other cage in the room. Dorian frowned, "No! It's not obvious! You're a man, not a leopard!"

"Oh, no, I'm a leopard," he smiled.

Dorian looked at him for a while, then turned away with a huff. "Ridiculous! You're just fooling me. Maybe that Count is too... if he even _is_ a Count." He began to walk away.

A sharp stab on his hip pulled him back around. He looked at the man in the cage, eyes wide as he once again saw a hand reaching out to him, the darkness of the cage covering the man's face. Dorian's gaze went downward. Streaked across his right hip were three large scratches and one smaller one, all broken through his leather cat suit and his skin, beginning to bleed down his leg. He looked back at the man's hand as blood dribbled off of his fingers.

"Your nails aren't long enough to do that..." Dorian said, breathless. His heart hammered in his chest.

"I'm sorry," the man said, sounding much more desperate, "but don't leave. I can't stay here."

Dorian's hand had begun to shake as he examined his wounds further. Then he took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. He looked back at the man in the cage, then at the cage itself, quickly spotting an industrial sized lock.

"Don't pounce on me as soon as I get you out," Dorian said as he got out a satchel full of lockpicks. He walked back to the cage and observed the lock, snorting slightly at its simplicity. He began to pick it, "God knows why they keep you down here in a cage."

"They bring me out to that horrible place," though his voice still had a tone of distress to it, it was still that low, accented purr that Dorian knew for sure he would have wanted to swoon at if he wasn't so burdened. "The noise is too loud, and the lights irritate me. People touch me or throw things at me."

"Yeah, yeah," Dorian huffed, "Still not quite buying the act, love, but I suppose I'll get you out of here." He smiled as the lock clicked, and he let it fell out of his palm. He lifted the top out of the cage, having to struggle a bit with the heavy weight. Before he could lift it completely off, the man leaped out, gracefully landing on his feet. Dorian slammed the cage down, looking the man up and down as he stood up. His look fell from annoyed to solemn quickly.

In the dim of the nightclub, behind the cages, the man had looked perfectly beautiful. Now Dorian saw he was ridden with scars, and some fresh cuts and bruises as well, carelessly painted all over his body. He saw his beautiful hair was slightly ragged, and he was even a little dirtied. His skin was tight over his body, and Dorian could now see he was less muscular than he first appeared to be.

He looked back at the cage still on the ground, frowning a bit, "Why on earth did they keep you in such a small, horizontal cage? It must have killed your back."

The man tipped his head a bit, "Not really. It made me restless, though," he stretched out gracefully, a wide smile on his face, "It feels _fantastic_ to stretch my legs."

"I'm sure." He looked back again, his senses again on alert, something tingling in the back of his head.

When he turned back he saw the man's look had sharpened significantly, looking straight ahead until he looked back at Dorian. "Did you hear that?"

Dorian raised his eyebrows, lowering his voice, "What?"

The man shushed him, looking ahead again. He grunted, "We should get out of here."

Dorian nodded, "I suppose so..." he looked all around, frowning a bit, as if still expecting a leopard to show up. He felt a hand clamp on his shoulder, looking back, his eyes widening a bit. The man was a good bit taller than himself.

"You know the way out?"

Dorian nodded, then began to lead the way. As soon as they started walking, however, a loud siren began to wail through the warehouse, making them both jump. Without a look back, Dorian and the man sprinted in between crates and boxes, quick and graceful as they avoided the obstacles easily. Dorian cursed to himself as they reached the window he had come through, looking back at the sound of rapid footsteps coming toward them. He watched with wide eyes as the man jumped up easily onto the window sill, balancing himself without effort and looking down at Dorian with a hand outreached. He didn't mind the yells he heard behind him and jumped up, the hand grabbing his own with an iron grip and wrenching him up and out of the window. Both he and the man fell into an alleyway, staggering before they continued to run.

As his legs began to feel like they'd give way, Dorian finally slowed down. He looked back, laughing slightly, his features flushed. "That was magnificent," he fanned himself, leaning back against a building, "An absolute rush."

He looked up at the man, who surprisingly wasn't gleaming with sweat, but only panting. His look was rather wild, but as he looked at Dorian his look melted. "Thank you."

Dorian waved him off, laughing slightly, "Don't worry about it, love," he tipped his head for a moment, flipping his hair back, "What is your name, anyway?"

"Agu," he answered, stepping up to Dorian, who finally noticed he was barefoot. Dorian nodded, staring at him for a moment, his injuries still obvious but his face calm and shining under the moonlight. Agu looked down, "You're bleeding."

Dorian raised his eyebrow, at first looking down at his leg--which was indeed still bleeding--but then noticed his hand. He held it up, finding three puncture marks he hadn't noticed in the excitement. "That's strange," he said softly, letting the blood drip down to the ground. He looked at Agu again, then sighed, "Come on. We have to visit a Count about something."

Dorian walked without a second glance at Agu, who had raised an eyebrow at the suggestion. He followed Dorian, running to catch up.

_--_

D huffed as he got up from his bed, pulling on a thin robe over his night gown. As he lit a lantern, more knocks came from the front door, resonating in the walls as a shake. D quickly made his way down the halls, lantern in hand, until finally he reached the front door, a scowl in place. His expression melted as he opened the door.

"You did it!" D smiled widely, placing a hand on Agu's face.

Dorian blinked, looking from Agu to D. "Did what, now?"

"Oh, he's beautiful--but the poor thing, you haven't been fed very well, have you?" D pet back some of Agu's long hair, his look gushing with love.

Dorian again looked from Agu to D, trying to assess the situation. "This isn't a leopard."

Both men looked at him strangely. "Of course he is, Lord Gloria. A fine beast from the jungles of Africa," a strange smile crossed D's face as he held Agu's shoulders and leaned into his firm chest.

Dorian backed up a bit more into the shop. It was pitch black, with only D's lantern in his hand to give a dim glow. Dorian again looked from D to Agu, "What is this... who is this man? Why was he in a cage?" he stepped back, gasping as his back met a second presence.

"What's the matter, blondie?" he felt fingers contract around his shoulders, nails digging in. Dorian gasped more, tensing up and trying to get away, the hands only gripping harder. A light suddenly pierced through, and Dorian blinked rapidly as the room was lit up. He looked up, gasping yet again as he looked at a smirking young man with stark black eyes. He broke free of his grip, walking backwards toward Agu as he looked all around the pet shop.

Scantly dressed women with all sorts of hair colors stared, their eyes bright and cunning, their voluptuous or lithe forms draped lazily over D's chairs. With them a few young men sat, dressed almost as revealing. A few young girls in frilly, voluminous dresses appeared from doors, blinking sleepy eyes at the scene. Children came with them, their look more excited than tired. The room erupted in conversation after a moment.

"He's looking at us! He's looking at us!"

"What happened? It's too late for all of this..."

"Who's that? Is it a new pet? Yay!"

"Great, just what we need! Another cat!"

"What's wrong with cats?!"

"Everyone!" D yelled, stopping all voices immediately, "Quiet down! Go back to your rooms."

The crowd thinned, but not without disapproving groans. Only a few remained in the room, still lazily watching D, Dorian and Agu from their places.

"What..." Dorian finally managed to speak, just barely choking it through, "What on _earth_ kind of operation are you running here?!" he looked at D incredulously, "A slave ring? A... a boarding house of some sort?"

D smiled with lidded eyes, "I don't know what you're talking about, Lord Gloria."

"The people!" Dorian waved a hand at the women and men still sitting on the sofas, "There weren't people here when I came by the day before!"

"I keep pets here, not people," D slunk over to a seat, brushing through one of the women's long, wavy hair.

Dorian looked from Agu to the people resting on the chairs, then slowly looked down at his wounds.

D perked up, "Did he bite you?"

Dorian looked up, "Pardon?"

D went to him, gently taking his wounded hand. "You're lucky he didn't break it. A leopard's jaw is powerful enough for that."

Dorian looked back at Agu, who was looking at the wound himself. Agu walked up to him, "I was only trying to help you reach the window. I didn't know I had bitten that hard."

Dorian's head swam, his scowl one of confusion. Agu took Dorian's hand and licked it. The move made him flinch, but as he observed the way Agu lapped at the blood on his hand, he felt like a wave hit him all at once.

"Am I dreaming..." Dorian looked Agu in the eyes. His golden eyes were fierce but wise. Dorian could now see the wild in them, the instinctual cunning that he hadn't quite noticed before. He looked back at D, "What form of magic is this?"

D's smile was back, "No magic, Lord Gloria."

Dorian laughed, "Of course it's magic... these animals look like humans. Feel like humans," he gently caressed Agu's face, then looked quickly back at D, "This must be why you're so well known and sought after."

D was silent, his smile still the same. He began to walk back to the hallways of his pet shop, "Shall I write you up a contract?"

Dorian blinked, "What?"

D nodded toward Agu, "For the leopard. No payment necessary, of course."

Dorianlooked at Agu, then firmly nodded, "Yes, that would be the right thing to do, wouldn't it?"

D watched as Dorian again caressed Agu's cheek, the red smile now more of a smirk. The few animals in the room yawned, curling back into sleep.

_--_

The sound of clicks and clunks were a single cacophony in the room. The few Alphabets present watched tensely as both Detective Orcot and the Major cleaned their guns with a deliberate, concentrated silence. The Alphabets had walked into the empty office of the LAPD to a distinctly tense air, and it set off a myriad of nervous reactions from the agents--Z readjusted his tie, A looked elsewhere and balanced on the balls of his feet, and B licked his lips and gulped several times.

Leon finished his gun first, clapping down it on his desk and lighting a cigarette. Klaus had already been dragging away at his own cigarette, his concentration still firmly on the gun, not lifting his head up to acknowledge the agents once. When he finally finished, he set his gun down and stubbed out his cigarette, wiping his hands with a handkerchief. He still didn't look up.

Z looked at both agents A and B, then hesitantly spoke, "Sir?"

Klaus's eyes finally snapped up, "Well?"

The agents exchanged looks again. A bit his lip before speaking, "Sir, you're the one who called us."

"Idiots!" They all flinched. "I want a report on what you have!"

"Nothing, sir," B said, regretting he spoke at the incensed look the Major sent him, "We've used up all of our leads."

"Damn it," Klaus hissed, resting his chin on his fist, "It's been two days since our last investigation and we don't have a damn thing."

"I think this guy's dead," Leon said, leaning back on his chair, "And someone's covered it up real good."

"But who?" Klaus said with gritted teeth, looking pointedly at Leon, "Your damn observations mean shit when we don't have anything to go on."

"What I'm saying is, we should be looking for a body," Leon leaned back towards the front of the chair, "Let's get some guys to look out in the fields at the outskirts of town--maybe a few boats to look in the ocean."

"He could've fled the country for all we know! We can't assume something like that without more evidence."

"What more do we need? No one's seen him for two weeks. We've gotta--"The phone ring interrupted his speech. He answered with an irritable voice, "LAPD, Detective Orcot speaking." His eyes widened, then he wordlessly handed the phone over to Klaus.

"Iron Klaus." Klaus' eyes widened at the other voice on the line. "It's George here. How you've been?"

"What do you want?" Klaus snapped without thought, suddenly remembering his last interaction with the man that he had tried his best to forget with his selective memory.

"Now that's not the tone of voice I like to hear," George said with a low chuckle, "but I guess you're just like that," he chuckled again, "Wanna ask me about Lee again?"

Klaus perked up, "What about him?"

"Oh, I just think I might know something useful..."

Klaus resisted a growl, his teeth gritting, "Then why didn't you tell us before?!"

"Didn't know about it two days ago," George said, "Just something that came up with a friend of mine."

"Well, what is it?"

Another chuckle. "Hold on, now. Don't think it's going to be that easy."

Klaus huffed, "Damn it," he then sighed, rolling his eyes, "What do you want?"

"Still not the tone of voice I'd like to hear from you. Don't you have something a bit sweeter for me? I bet Dorothy would like to hear that..."

"Who the hell--" Klaus stopped, his eyes widening, "Why are you mentioning him?"

"Funny you should ask."

Klaus motioned for one of his alphabet to bring him a pen and paper--something that didn't quickly register with them, his hand motions too discreet at first. Finally he had to mouth it, his jaw clenched and his eyes ablaze. Z quickly handed him a notepad and a pen after that, and Klaus scribbled down quickly on it. When the phone conversation was through,he handed the phone to Leon, then looked up at Z.

"Find out where Lord Gloria is staying."

_--_

It was dawn when Dorian climbed through the window into his bedroom of his rented house, and Agu climbed just as swiftly behind him. Still a bit excited, he didn't want to use the front door. He only vaguely remembered patching up his wounds, for he nearly passed out on his bed as soon as he hit the mattress.

He didn't feel Agu sleep just at his feet. He did, however, very much hear Bonham's scream as soon as he discovered the leopard in Dorian's bed.

Dorian shot up, his eyes wide and his vision foggy for a moment, "Wh- what?"

"M- M- M'lord!" Bonham had plastered himself to the wall farthest from Dorian's bed, his eyes wide, concentrated on Agu, "Run! Save yerself! I'll try and distract it--"

"Bonham, do calm down," Dorian rubbed his eyes, still half-asleep.

Bonham gawked at him, "M'lord, that be a wild beast!"

Dorian at last noticed the source of Bonham's anguish, laid out at his feet. Agu gave a great yawn, "Is he always this loud?"

"No," Dorian answered without thought, only to cover his mouth and snap his eyes over at Bonham. The other man hadn't noticed.

"Do ye mind tellin' me the 'ell is goin' on 'round here?! Ye left in the middle of the night and came back with this huge thing!" Bonham flinched as Agu moved to lay his head on Dorian's hip.

"It's all right--look, he's as gentle as a pussy cat," Dorian forced a smile and a laugh, patting Agu on the head.

"I suppose this be another purchase from that Count's shop," Bonham folded his arms, looking at Dorian sternly. As Dorian nodded, Bonham sighed. "What be next? An elephant? Or per'aps a giant squid?"

"Believe me, I don't think I'll be making any more purchases from that pet shop anymore," Dorian sighed as well, absentmindedly playing at the end of Agu's ponytail.

"Good," Bonham's look softened, "Ye need anything?"

"Some breakfast would be lovely."

Bonham laughed slightly, "It be one o'clock in the afternoon."

"Lunch, rather."

Bonham nodded, "I'll be back," he glanced at Agu once more before turning to leave, only to stop as he reached the door, chuckling slightly, "'e was scratchin' at your door all mornin'."

"Who?" Dorian asked, but Bonham left without answer, leaving the door open. Dorian watched the door for a moment, gasping as the face of a pale, black-eyed young man appeared."Who are you?" Dorian said, getting off the bed to step back.

The young man's delicate face contorted tragically for a moment, near tears, "Don't you know who I am anymore?! Where have you been?"

He took several steps toward Dorian, allowing the latter to assess him fully. The long legs, the boyish yet delicate face, the flaming red hair and soft skin--it was enough to catch Dorian off guard, enough time for the young man to swoop in and wrap his arms around his waist. He was a good deal shorter than Dorian, his head only reaching his chest.

Dorian patted the boy's head, feeling a bit dizzy, "Are you sure you have the right house, love?"

The young man looked up, his black eyes glittering, "Never. I'm yours."

Dorian blushed, then laughed, "Well, can't argue with that then!" he looked up for a moment, thanking whatever deity that may or may not exist, "I'm stuck in my bedroom with two beautiful..." he stopped for a moment, looking back over at Agu, who had taken it upon himself to use one of Dorian's pillows as a chew toy. Dorian pulled the young man away from him, looking him up and down once more. He gasped, "Cinder...?"

"Of course!" Cinder pouted, "You've forgotten all about me, haven't you?"

"No! I... just didn't recognize you," he pulled him back in for a hug, his back now stiffening significantly as Cinder squeezed him for a moment longer than his lungs would have liked. He sighed, "Of course; the universe gives me two animals. I should've known better."

Cinder at last looked back at Agu. He gave a very strange shiver, his long head of hair almost rising, _"Who_ is _that?"_

Dorian's eyes snapped to Agu as well, who had been watching Cinder just as curiously. Agu spit out a downy feather, getting up and circling around Dorian and Cinder. Both flinched as he began to sniff Cinder's hair. He huffed, "What kind of strange bird are you?"

"Don't ruffle my plumage!" Cinder gave another strange shiver, his pupils thinning, "Don't big smelly animals like you belong in the zoo?"

Agu smirked and chuckled, "Maybe, but I think like it here better," he wrapped an arm around Dorian's shoulder, nuzzling his face against his cheek.

Cinder flared, "Don't do that!"

"All right, all right," Dorian pushed both of them away from each other, "I won't have any of that." He sat back down on his bed, barely containing a sigh when Cinder only followed him, clutching his arm. "This is all giving me a very bad headache. I don't suppose either of you can even begin to explain this all to me..."

"Explain what?" Cinder looked at him.

"Why I'm seeing people instead of animals! Am I going insane? Is that Count tricking me? Are you all just actors, perhaps?" Dorian paled a bit, "Although, Bonham's reaction was genuine... how come he can't see you?"

Cinder shrugged, "Not everyone can."

"Why do I have to?" Dorian sighed, then chuckled a bit, "This all would've been exciting if it wasn't so incredibly tiring. I only wanted a little pet."

Cinder frowned, watching as Dorian laid back on his bed, covering his eyes with a hand. "I'm sorry," he said, looking away, "I only wanted to make you happy."

Dorian sat up again, frowning a bit, "It's not your fault," when Cinder still didn't look back, he wrapped an arm around his shoulder, "You're very wonderful to me. I have no reason to be unhappy with you."

Cinder shrugged his arm off, turning to look him in the eyes, "It's not about me. I'm here to make you happy. It's what you wanted."

Dorian looked away quickly, shrugging, "I suppose I did."

"You still want it," Cinder huffed a bit, scowling down at Agu, "And you even went and got him for it."

"What does he have to do with his?" Dorian laughed slightly, watching as Agu laid himself out on the ground.

"I can't say," Cinder frowned, his thin eyebrows creasing, "I only know, I can't understand."

Dorian shook his head, his laughs becoming thinner by the moment, "I can't say either. I'm not even entirely sure what we're talking about."

"Your pain." Cinder pouted as Dorian looked at him confusedly, "It's right here," he put a hand on Dorian's stomach, his brows furrowing.

Dorian looked on with wide eyes, then raised an eyebrow, "My stomach?"

Agu poked his head up, snorting, "Maybe you have indigestion?"

Cinder scowled, "No! I'm talking about your heart!"

"Oh," Dorian took his hand and put it on his chest, "I think you mean right here, love."

"Oh," Cinder blushed, "Whatever! You get my point."

Dorian looked into Cinder's eyes for a moment, only to once again look away, frowning slightly as he rested his face in his hand.

"A heart sounds delicious right now," Agu said from the floor, licking his lips. He peered at Cinder, "I may eat this bird thing if I don't get something else sooner."

While Cinder backed up further on the bed, Dorian sighed. "No need to be so subtle."

Just as the words left his mouth, what sounded like the door crashing into the room caused all to turn and look. Dorian froze for a moment, petrified.

"Where's the damn leopard?" Klaus stood at the door, but not for long. He soon stalked across the room, causing Dorian to jump. He looked hard at Cinder, then hard at Agu, "Well?"

Dorian looked from Cinder to Agu, both of whom shrugged, looking as wide-eyed as he was. He finally looked back at Klaus, scowling slightly, "You couldn't have knocked? You know, at the front door, like a decent person?"

"Shut your mouth! I don't have time for your games. Plus it's your fault anyway for leaving the door unlocked--we're in America, not Europe." He looked harder at Cinder and Agu still, grimacing immensely, as if their presence suddenly just dawned on him.

Dorian looked again at Agu, then back to Klaus. A smile slowly formed, "You're looking for what, again?"

"A leopard, you numbskull. Don't you dare think of playing dumb with me."

"Now, why would I have to do that? Do explain yourself."

Klaus snarled, "You idiot! You were seen at the warehouse last night! Some expert thief you are."

"Warehouse? I haven't an idea of what you're talking about." Klaus took a step forward toward Dorian, only to halt as Agu stepped up in front of him, a few inches taller than Klaus. Dorian peeked behind Agu's frame, smiling brightly, "I don't believe you've introduced yourselves."

"Agu," he looked down hard at the Major, his lips at a firm frown.

Klaus snorted, "I see you're picking up trash for your band of thieves these days. What is he, some kind of drug addict?"

When Agu made the most minute movement, Dorian hugged him from behind to hold him back. He laughed shakily, "Oh, Major. Such a kidder." He petted Agu's hair back for good measure.

"Enough," Klaus bit out, "Tell me where the leopard is, Eroica."

Dorian tipped his head, still looking on from Agu's shoulder, "First, you tell me: Why do you want it?"

"None of your business."

"Well, then, I suppose I don't have any good reason to tell you, do I?" Dorian ran a finger down the front of Agu's lean chest, hugging him further to his body, "After all, I do have better things to do."

Klaus took some steps back, visibly shuddering. "Spare me the details."

"Oh, so now you _don't_ want the details?"

Klaus twitched, gritting his teeth to prevent himself from doing it again, "George has new information on Wolfgram."

Dorian blinked, scowling, "And so you're cooperating with a him to get it? It's not legal to keep a wild animal, you know. He had no right it to in the first place."

"Sod it. There's no way to avoid it without getting knee deep in his crime ring. I'll take a simple task over a more damaging one."

Dorian chuckled, "Simple? George must have a good sense of humor to send you here to do this job." He glanced over at Cinder, then suddenly smirked, "I must tell you though, Major, that you've come to the wrong place." His smirk turned into a smile as Klaus scowled more, "After all, what would I want with a leopard? It's too much of a bother to take care of for me. Besides... I already have a pet."

Klaus' eyes widened for a moment, then he slapped his forehead, "Idiot! That fool was right..." his face whipped back around to face Dorian again, "The chinaman?"

"Quite so," Dorian fluttered his eyelashes.

"Fine, then. We're going to the pet shop."

Dorian blinked several times, "'We?'"

"I'm not here to play games. You can tell him to fess up and act serious so we can get this over with."

"But, Major, I thought that was your job."

"Don't be stupid! If he knows you've already been caught in the act then there's no point in playing around. Come on, we're leaving."

"Already?" just as Dorian said it, Klaus left, the door slamming once more, reverberating in the walls. Dorian sighed, "He'll be back if I'm not out in a minute, I suspect."

"I'm going with you," Agu said, crossing his arms.

"Darling," Dorian lowered his voice, "It'd probably be best for you to lie low--or even escape. You're damned lucky that the Major sees you as human, but I can't guarantee that everyone that may be after you now is as insane as him and I."

"I'll be fine," Agu turned to face Dorian, "He's in our hands. It'll be easy to escape once he's in the shop. We can find a way out--he can't."

Dorian smirked, "Too true. I love the way you think."

"What am _I _supposed to do?" Cinder pouted.

Dorian looked back, "Explain to Bonham--" he stopped short, "Oh, that's right, you can't. Well. Stay put, then, my love. Terribly sorry."

Klaus' voice blared through the walls, "Get out here, you dimwit! We're leaving! Now!"


	6. Dark

"What... have you brought..." D's face closely resembled tragedy as he looked at the three men at his front door.

"I'm so sorry, Count," Dorian bolted through his door, taking him by the shoulders. As D shrunk back, he leaned forward more, "I've been forced to confess."

D raised an eyebrow up high, looking from Klaus to Dorian multiple times, "What, now?"

"The leopard," Dorian covered his mouth slightly, "he knows. He's going to take it back. I'm so sorry, again."

D tipped his head, his eyes shooting from Agu, then to Klaus, then eventually back to Dorian. He nodded slowly, "I suppose... he wants to see it?"

Klaus watched with a great scowl, getting a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. The shop was dark even at three p.m., and seeing D's face slide into a smooth smirk was enough to make his insides clench. His huffed, brushing it off.

"Major, allow me to show you the way," D turned his back and began to walk, the party following.

They went through a dank hallway, feet clapping against the stone floor. It was nearly pitch black.

"I can't see a thing," Dorian said.

D's voice came from the front of him, "It's straight ahead; you needn't worry. Just keep walking."

The dark was heavy, yet still light enough to see shadows roaming the walls and floor. The only sound that came were the echos from their foot steps. The hallway had a restless air about it. Bars jetted within the walls, shadows creeping from behind them. When a wisp of a plant brush against Dorian's hand, he jumped, bumping into something warm and firm.

"Sorry," he grabbed onto an arm, quickly realizing who it was he had just grabbed.

"Let go, idiot!" Klaus wrenched himself away.

Dorian shuddered a bit. It suddenly felt very cold in the hallway, and the Major's warmth would've been highly reassuring. He clutched his own arms, feeling himself get restless. He stuttered a bit before speaking, "You do know where we're going, then?"

"Straight ahead," D's voice echoed.

Klaus felt a twinge in his stomach at the voice, which seemed much eerier without the ridiculously painted face to throw him off. After Dorian had bumped into him, Klaus felt as though the darkness suffocated him all around. Rather than reaching out, he purposely stepped out of place once in a while, his shoes luckily meeting Dorian's each time.

"You're awfully clumsy today, Major," Dorian eventually said.

Klaus' ears felt hot, and he was relieved it was dark. "S'just the dark. Can't see where I'm bloody going."

Dorian felt his stomach drop when he reached to his side and felt nothing. "Agu?"

He gasped as a pair of gold eyes came from the dark, glowing like two wil-o-whisps. "Here," he was several steps away from Dorian, perhaps nearer to D.

Dorian gripped his arms tighter, then took several steps to catch up. He felt slightly relieved when he reached out his hand and touched silk fabric. He went close to D, "Where exactly are you taking us?"

"What are you saying?" Klaus' voice boomed through, causing Dorian to jump.

"Nothing," Dorian bit his lip, feeling the silk slip from his grip. He stopped until Klaus tapped his foot again, then pressed forward.

Klaus gripped his hand into a fist and unravelled it several times. He huffed in an attempt to purge himself from the dank incense, which smelled much more pungent by the step. The darkness pressed on his eyes and swam in his head. He stepped on Dorian's foot, flinching when Dorian emitted a small yelp.

"When does this end?!" Klaus yelled.

"Soon," D said, his voice still calm.

"When is soon?! I need to take this leopard so I can get the hell out of here!" Klaus' voice had much less force to it--faster and more fleeting. Feeling his heart beating fast not because of anger, Klaus took a deep, shaky breath.

The foot steps in front of Dorian and Klaus stopped, and so they stopped as well. Dorian winced as Agu's glowing eyes appeared again, until his eyes snapped to D's outline, just barely visible.

"You want your leopard, Major?"

Klaus was peering into the dark toward D, until his eyes snapped to a golden glint hovering just above the ground. A low growl ghosted in front of him.He was thrown back.

_"Klaus!"_ Dorian barely recognized the sound of his own voice screeching. He ran to the sound of snarling and Klaus' startling cries. He grabbed a handful of fur and wrenched against it, "Let go! For God's sake, _please!" _He pulled hard, his grip getting tighter at Klaus' pained yelp. He fell back, letting go when the heavy mass of fur and muscle writhed against him and rolled off. He blindly reached out, releasing a sob when his hand brushed up against stiff cotton.

"Don't you _dare _touch me!"

"Klaus," Dorian suddenly realized both his voice and his whole body were shaking violently. He reached out again, pulling back immediately as he felt a sticky wetness on his hand.

"Get the hell away from me," Klaus hissed in-between his teeth. He breathed hard through his nose, his own breath shaky.

"Klaus, please, don't--" when Dorian reached out once more, he was again wrenched away.

"Don't touch me! You- you _tricked_ me!"

"No! Never! Klaus--" He heard Klaus step up and did so as well. "Please, we have to get you out of here--"

"Fuck off!" Klaus roared.

Dorian almost stopped, the tone of Klaus' voice making him flinch. He reached out again. His hand was slapped away, and Klaus roughly pushed him with a snarl. Dorian flew back, his breath knocking out of him. He froze on the ground, stunned.

"Bloody piss off!" Klaus' voice became more ragged, panting afterwards, "So fucking help me, I will beat the shit out of you if you touch me again."

Hearing Klaus stomp off, Dorian was up again within a second. He followed, trying to move just as quickly as Klaus. The shadows in the room wouldn't let up. He began to feel dizzy, barely knowing where he was headed anymore, blindly following the sound of Klaus' steps. Then he heard a bump, a curse, and light blinded him as a door opened. He ran to the door.

He gasped, releasing another sob. Klaus held his left hand to his chest as it bled profusely, bloating up in an almost purple color. His other hand bled freely to his side, dripping onto the ground. Klaus had stopped to rest his back against a wall, panting harshly.

"Klaus..." Dorian stepped back slightly when Klaus looked his way, "This wasn't meant to happen."

Klaus' face twitched and he breathed much more harshly. He shot his face to the ground, "I can't even look at you."

Dorian wiped his eyes, then realized most of his face was wet with tears. "I just want to help you," he said, holding his face in his hands, "I would never conspire to hurt you, Klaus."

"Bullshit!" Klaus looked up, "Just stop fucking talking! I'm sick of hearing your fucking voice!" as Dorian looked up, Klaus snarled, "I'm sick of the stupid look you have on your face. And I had better never see it around me again, starting now." He turned to walk away.

"Please, listen to me!" Dorian followed, stopping abruptly as Klaus turned back. Klaus punched him in the face. Dorian staggered back, his eyes wide as he held his face. He was frozen in place as Klaus stalked up to him once more, slapping his hand away and clutching his neck. Dorian let out a croak as Klaus squeezed for all he was worth.

It only lasted a moment. Klaus was knocked away, letting go of Dorian's neck. Dorian felt to the ground, sobbing and choking as he struggled for breath.

"Fuck!" Leon took Klaus by the shoulders and shook him, "What the fuck are you thinking?!" As Klaus held up his broken, bloodied hand, Leon winced, "Christ... what the hell happened?"

"I was ambushed. In the dark. That freak sicced his fucking leopard on me!"

"What? Is he fucking serious?!" Leon glanced back at Dorian, who had not looked up from the ground. Leon shook his head, "Let's get you to a hospital."

"Not without that leopard."

"You idiot! You just got mauled! We'll take care of it later."

"I didn't have a god damn chance to take out my gun on that monster. I'll fucking shoot it--and the chinaman, too." He fumbled for his magnum, only to be stopped by Leon.

"Fuck that right now, man. We'll take care of it later." Leon looked back once again at Dorian, "You need a hospital, too."

"I'll be fine," Dorian said, almost too quiet to hear. He got up from the ground and turned away.

Leon scowled hard at him, before huffing, "Fine," he took Klaus' shoulder and led him out of the shop, leaving Dorian alone.

Sometime after, the door to the hallway opened once more. Agu came back out, human in form. Dorian stared at him for a long moment.

"How could you?" Dorian said, then felt heat rush through him, "How could you do that to him?! You could have killed him!" he stalked up to him, only feeling more anger from Agu's blank expression, "You stupid animal! Don't you realize what you've even done?!"

"Only what his instincts told him to," D's voice came up from behind Agu. He looked at Dorian, his expression just as blank.

Dorian rounded on him, "Why didn't you do anything? You're the animal expert here. You couldn't have fucking _done_ something?! Did you just have to stand there and watch?!"

"The Major was a danger to Agu, Lord Gloria," D said, "He did what he had to in order to survive."

"The Major wasn't going to bloody kill him! He didn't even know he was the leopard!" Dorian stepped back slightly, "You were planning this. You wanted this to happen." When D's look still did not change, and when he did not answer, Dorian shot towards him. He grabbed the front of his shirt and gripped it tightly, shaking him violently, "I should kill you for doing that to the Major!"

D's eyes at last widened, but the look was gone within a moment, replaced with a sharpened glare. He covered one of Dorian's hands with his own, looking him in the eyes, "You led him here." Dorian's grip waned, and he let D fall. Dorian turned away, but D still crept behind him, "Do you honestly care more about that violent man than something as beautiful as Agu?"

Dorian looked back, "Yes," he said, "absolutely."

D frowned, his eyelids veiling over his eyes, "You love him."

Dorian laughed, only to squint his eyes and cover his face. "That's something I would've been able to admit to anyone so easily, years ago."

D watched Dorian carefully, stepping over to Agu and caressing his long hair, "It must be tragic to love someone who hates you."

"It's wretched," Dorian grabbed his arms, sighing deeply, "I can no longer escape from it. When I could simply admire from afar--those were the best years. When I could just appreciate him, without worrying about how he felt about me. Because then, why should I have cared? I had my own life. I felt I could have lived without him," Dorian raked his hair back from his sweating face, only to grimace at the puffiness developing on his cheek, which would certainly turn into a bruise. "But it sank deeper into me. And what's worse, Klaus' feelings had not changed at all. He's stayed the same for all fifteen years, barely even improving his attitude with me."

D shook his head, "Then why should it matter? Why not simply move on?"

_"God, _how I've tried that," Dorian took another breath to steady himself, "The love I have is so crippling. All other lovers; inadequate. They don't give me the same feelings he does. All other passions; immeasurable. Simply annoying Klaus became more exciting than stealing even the most wonderful of art. I've grown tired of my gallivanting life. All I want now is Klaus." Dorian hesitantly looked back at D, only to snap his eyes away at the piercing, almost cold look D gave him. "Stealing is my calling. I feel like now, it's been taken away from me. And that would be all right if I _had_ Klaus. I could move on from this lifestyle, perhaps. But without Eroica, and without him, I'm nothing." Dorian covered his mouth but couldn't suppress the sob. He breathed in harshly, wiping the tears from his eyes. "What's worse, now I've even lost his trust--the one thing we had between us."

D came up behind him, touching his shoulder. "What is it you desire?"

Dorian creased his brows, "Right now I just want to forget," he sighed shakily, "I want to let go. It's become too painful," he finally released a sob, "But I can't simply forget Klaus. I'm not willing or able."

Behind Dorian, D smiled, "Lord Gloria, may I show you to one of my back rooms? You can calm down there."

Dorian quickly wiped his eyes, "I'm so sorry. I've brought all of this on you. I should probably leave."

"There's no need." D's look became more piercing. Dorian looked him in the eyes for a moment, shoulders hunching before he nodded, eyes wide. D started once again down the dark hallway, Dorian following.

"Do we have to go through here again?" Dorian asked, scowling in the dark.

"Our destination is much closer this time, Lord Gloria."

Dorian's mouth formed a straight line as he followed D. It wasn't long before D turned, opening a door with a metallic creak and allowing Dorian to walk in.

Dorian gasped, backing up. A man sat in chains, long hair spilling over his body. He was topless from what Dorian could see. His face was down, covered by shadow. Dorian looked back at D, "What are you playing?! Why is this man in chains?"

D tipped his head, frowning, "I'm afraid it's precautionary. I would let him roam free, but he's sick and confused. I was going to let him loose in his cage as soon as he recovered and gained his senses."

Dorian looked back at the man, who had finally lifted his head up. Dorian gazed into sharp grey eyes, which stared intently back. It took him a moment to notice the rest of the man's face, hidden by a muzzle. He took a step forward, then another one when the man had not attempted to move an inch from his spot. He couldn't avoid the man's gaze. He kneeled down, and at last the man attempted to move his hand forward, but it was held back by a steel manacle.

"You can uncover his mouth if you want," D still stood by the door, watching.

Dorian looked back with wide eyes, only to gaze back toward the man, who was still peering directly at Dorian. He leaned forward, hesitantly grabbing the sides of the muzzle. It was held by leather belts that tangled in his long hair. He tried to stay an arm distance away from the man's face, but he was still uncomfortably close, enough to hear the man's somewhat unsteady breathing. He unhitched the belts with a couple of jerks of his hand, and let the muzzle fall away from the man's face.

Dorian's heart fluttered. Though his covered in a film of sweat, the man had a strong, chiseled face. His full lips smirked. Dorian's stomach tightened.

"He's an animal, isn't he," Dorian said quietly, settling the muzzle on the ground next to him and immediately returning his hand to the man's face, "But what animal?"

"Not quite an animal, Lord Gloria," D smirked as Dorian didn't look back, "He's a being of a higher level than that. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of years old."

As Dorian wiped a strand of hair from the man's face, the man leaned into his touch. His gaze didn't leave Dorian's wide eyes.

"He needs me," Dorian tipped his head, eyes still fixed.

D smiled, "Would you like a contract?" at Dorian's nod, D stepped forward, "You must give him attention, more than once a day. You must give him a room where most others cannot see him. And last but not least, you must have him restrained in someway at all times."

Dorian tore his eyes away from the man, frowning, "Why?"

D tipped his head, "You will reap the consequences of breaking one of the three rules of the contract, Lord Gloria."

Dorian paused to think, only to look back at the restrained man. Dorian nodded.

_---_

Cars surrounded them, blaring lights illuminating the darkness of twilight. Rows of cars lay miles ahead. They were at a nearly complete stop.

"Fuck," Leon hit his horn, "fucking rush hour traffic. Don't bleed to death on me, man."

Klaus didn't answer, concentrated on wrapping his worse hand in his dress shirt sleeve. He hissed a bit as he tightened the final knot.

"You holding up?" When Klaus still didn't answer, Leon gave a gruff sigh, "You shouldn't be pissed at me, man."

"I am pissed off in general, Detective," Klaus finally bit out, "I nearly got mauled to death because of those two pansies."

"I know, I know," Leon sighed haggardly, then shrugged a bit, "You did get out of there alive, though."

Klaus looked at Leon incredulously, "Well don't you just look at the glass half full," when Leon again shrugged, Klaus scoffed, "The only reason I got out of there was because I fucking put my hands out in front of me. It was going for my neck," Klaus shifted in his seat, "I want to kill something myself right now."

"Chill, man. You need to calm down," to Leon's surprise, Klaus' posture slackened.

"I can't believe I let myself get trapped like that," Klaus said lowly, staring at the the moth eaten cover of the car's ceiling, "I've come to trust that fop too much. Made myself believe he actually had some morals," he snorted with a humorless smirk.

Leon scowled hard at the road in front of him, "Why the hell would they attack you?"

"I was after the leopard," Klaus said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Leon nodded, "But this seemed like a planned attack."

"How about this?" Klaus sat a bit straighter, scowling hard at Leon, "Since that fucking idiot let himself be seen at the warehouse, he knew someone would be after him. As soon as someone came knocking at his door, he uses all that charm he claims to have and lures them back to the pet shop. You figure out the rest."

Leon looked at Klaus with his own scowl, "Is he known to do underhanded things like that?" as Klaus looked away, Leon did as well, "D we can't be sure of, but you know more about the Earl than I do about D."

Klaus shifted in his seat once more, looking out the window. He took a moment to answer, "I can't rely on a fucking trust system. Not anymore." Klaus closed his eyes, still scowling, "I should've never trusted him in the first place."

"D has enough charm to overwhelm anyone. I don't think the Earl realized what he was getting into," Leon sighed, "No one usually does." Klaus didn't answer, his mouth forming a straight line. Eventually he covered his eyes with his less injured hand, sighing deeply. Leon watched him with a frown, until movement in his rear-view mirror caught his eye. "What the fuck...?"

As he said it, Klaus perked up, "What?"

"Someone's coming."

Both looked back as a great shadow loomed over their car. They saw a hand tap on the window of the back seat window.

"I'm in no mood for this," Klaus sighed, immediately getting out his magnum.

Leon signaled with his hand for Klaus to let back, craning himself to look behind his seat. He squinted, then his eyes widened, "Holy shit..." he sighed, shaking his head as he hopped back into his seat and unlocked all of the doors in the car.

Klaus nearly jumped out of his seat, steadying his magnum to point at the back seats. The door swung open, and the car groaned as the shadow sat down on the back seat and slammed the door.

George smiled and put his hands up at the sight of Klaus' magnum in-between his eyes. "Boy. You seem on edge today, Iron Klaus."

Klaus relented slightly, straightening his posture but still holding the magnum to point at George, "We're not getting your fucking leopard," as George frowned confusedly, Klaus held up his worse hand.

George's eyes widened, "Not bad," he smirked, "But you do know where it is then, don't you?"

"Obviously," Klaus spit out.

"Well, that's all we need!" George smiled widely, chuckling at Leon and Klaus' exchanged glances. "No need to do the dirty work for me, boys. We can just get the little people to do that for us, right?"

"Not before I get my arm bitten off first, right?!" Klaus leaned forward, only to be held back by Leon. He scowled, "Let go, idiot!" Leon retracted his hand.

"Look, I thought this was going to be a simple operation. Dorothy seemed to like you... thought he wouldn't fight you off," George chuckled again, "Guess he has more bite for you than anticipated."

"Shut it," Klaus had become visibly more pale, but he kept his scowl firmly in place, "Just give us the information we want."

"Of course," George smirked, taking out a cigar and and guillotine cutter, snipping off the end and putting it into his mouth. He took his time taking out a silver lighter, puffing and rotating the cigar. He exhaled a storm of smoke from his nostrils. "Now," he chuckled a bit again, smoke falling lazily out of his lips, "I gotta friend--I don't think ya'll need to know who he is, do you?--and he comes to me and asks, 'Ya seen Lee 'round here?' I hadn't seen this friend in a while, mind you. And I laugh 'cause ya'll had been to my dive asking the same thing. So I say to my friend the same thing I said to you--'Nope. Why?'" He puffed his cigar more before speaking again, "He said he saw him. Just three weeks ago. He was bloodied and beaten up, staggering out an alley way. Said before he could even get some help for him, he was gone."

Klaus huffed the thick cigar smoke away from his face before speaking, "Who was this man? We need these statements from _him._ You could be embellishing things for all we know."

George chuckled, "What else have you got, Iron Klaus?" when Klaus didn't answer, George smirked, puffing his cigar more, exhaling three smoke rings from his lips.

"Can you tell us where the alley was?" Leon only rolled down the windows after George had finished speaking, allowing the noise of traffic to fill the car.

"Well sure. Soon as you tell me where my leopard is." George laughed out right as Klaus and Leon exchanged glances once more, "Didn't think I forgot, did you?"

"It's in a pet shop in Chinatown," Leon said, watching George's reaction carefully.

George only raised a single, heavy eyebrow. "A pet shop in Chinatown?" he chuckled, "Interesting. Your alleyway is in-between some apartments in West Hollywood." With a groan from the car, George turned to exit the car.

As George's dark shadow left, Leon's car went only an inch forward in the traffic.

---

"You sure it's this alley?" Jill asked from the mouth of the alley, watching as Leon tromped confidently through.

"No. Just got a feeling," Leon said as he looked all around.

"That, and it's near Mertz's apartment complex," Jill followed Leon in as well, "You suspect him?"

"Not him," Leon lifted a couple of empty cardboard boxes, only to throw them back down, "You couldn't get someone from forensics down here? I don't know where to start in this place."

"Nope. They've got real leads to work on," Jill was too concentrated staring at the ground to notice Leon's glare. She motioned toward him, "Come'ere." As Leon loomed over her shoulder she pointed down, "That look like blood to you?"

Below their feet were three brown stains on the concrete. Leon's eyes widened, "You think we'll find a body?"

Jill sighed, bending down and taking some materials out of her pocket, "Not likely here. I can't imagine someone not noticing--we'd definitely smell it, anyway."

Leon walked further down the alleyway, his eyes flicking to every box, garbage pale and wall. The alley came to a near dead end at another wall of a building--only the wall to his left had stretched out into a chain-link fence. Looking through it, he saw some short bushes, and further out the apartment swimming pool area. He scowled.

"Leon?" Jill came up behind him, her hands gloved and holding a plastic bag with a q-tip in it, "Come on, there's probably nothing more in here. At most we can ask if anyone else had seen him, too."

Leon was still looking through the chain-link fence, "Right."

_---_

Klaus looked abjectly at the cast on his hand. He had refused to wear the harness to allow it rest.

"Broken wrist, three broken fingers... ouch," Leon handed back his x-ray sheet, "The x-ray sure looks cool though."

Klaus said nothing, only giving Leon a glare as he snatched his x-rays back. "I'll break each of the thief's fingers," he said as he rested his face on his other hand, which was only bandaged, "Slowly. The chinaman will not make it out alive, however."

"Yeah, yeah," Leon leaned back on his chair, "Just wait 'til the case ends before you decide to go on a rampage."

"If it ever ends," Klaus pressed his fingers in-between his eyes, "I've been here for nearly a week and we barely have anything to go on."

"We've got some blood samples; if it matches up with Wolfgram, we might have something."

"Did anyone else see Schaefer in this alleyway?"

"Well, no," Leon thought back, "But a DNA match would mean we have some footsteps to go by."

"Where could he have gone? The informant says he just disappeared," Klaus rolled his eyes, "For all we know he could be some insane druggie just telling us anything."

"We have a match," Jill said in place of announcing her arrival. She threw some files onto Leon's desk, "It was Wolfgram in that alleyway."

Leon grinned, looking at the DNA testing, "I don't know what any of this shit means, but it's good enough for me," he threw aside some of the papers, lifting his hand in front of Klaus.

Klaus stared at his hand, "What are you doing?"

"High-five, man!" Leon's look deflated as Klaus shook his head. "Come on!"

Klaus ignored him, beginning to sift through the DNA tests. He stopped at one page, "'Inconclusive?'"

"Yeah," Jill said, "That means some of the sample wasn't a match for Schaefer's DNA. There were three stains, so I tested three different samples."

"And one of them wasn't Schaefer's," Klaus put down the papers, "There was someone else with him?"

"Someone else bleeding with him, apparently," Leon scowled, "Maybe there was a fight?"

"So we have a possible perpetrator," Klaus scowled as well, "We need more evidence."

"Right. Should we head back to the scene of the crime, then?"

_---_

D sighed a bit, staring at the two, roughed up men at his door. "You may as well come in. It's not like I haven't been bothered enough as of late."

"Heard you're keeping a cat in here, pretty boy," one of the men stepped up to him, easily looming over D, "George wants it back."

"George?" D blinked, stepping aside to let both men in, "I'm afraid I'm not sure who that is. And I have several cats if you care to look around."

"We're talking big cats," the second man said, smiling slightly at his cohort, "A leopard."

"Ah," D's eyebrows raised, "I have several of those, too."

The two men seemed to finally take in their surroundings. Several animals were staring at them, many right at their feet. Spotted throughout the crowd were indeed large cats, licking their chops at the sight of the two men.

One tore his eyes away from the group, scowling at D. "Listen, pal, we don't have time for games," he took a step forward, brandishing a switch blade, "Make this nice and easy for yourself."

D stepped back, his eyes only glancing towards the knife for a moment before sliding back to the man holding it. Just as the man grabbed D's shoulder roughly, a sharp set of teeth latched onto the man's arm, and then several more. Growls and yips became a cacophony in the room, along with the two men yelling. The man holding the knife was eventually pulled down by a large cat, dragged away screaming. The other man bolted out the door. As soon as the man's screaming stopped, the room calmed into a silence.

D sighed, straightening himself up, "Idiots. All of them."


	7. Demon

Lord Gloria's rental home was on the outskirts of Los Angeles county, tucked away from the city and nestled near the coastline. It was located in a small cluster of houses on top of a hill, overlooking the ocean. Leon whistled to himself at the sight of the two story home with its sleek, modern lines; little did he know that it was chosen to the chagrin of its current resident, as Dorian could not find anything more suited to his classical taste.

Leon rung the doorbell, and a minute later Bonham answered it. He looked startled for a moment before Leon spoke, "Easy, I'm off duty." After Bonham's look still did not ease, he continued, "The Major isn't here."

"Good," Bonham sighed deeply, stepping aside to let him in.

"Is the Earl around?" Leon stepped inside, looking all around, eyebrows raised. The house was light and airy, the entrance leading immediately to the living room and the kitchen. To the farthest wall there was a large window, showing just a streak of the ocean from behind hills and the roofs of other houses below and lighting the spacious room with the afternoon sun.

Bonham frowned a bit, "Suppose 'e is; 'asn't been out of his room all day. Figured we'd be leavin' soon, but m'lord 'asn't mentioned anythin' 'bout that yet."

Leon scowled, his look wandering to a staircase, "Is that unusual behavior for him?"

"Certainly. Usually 'ard for 'im to keep in one spot, let alone cooped up in 'is room."

"Do you think he could come down?" Leon looked back over to Bonham.

"I can always try," Bonham sighed a bit, bustling up the stairs.

Leon cracked a somewhat contrived smile when Dorian came down the stairs. "Hiya," he said, his smile dimming as Dorian came closer into view.

"What do you want?" Dorian asked, giving no smile for Leon. He stood stiffly, arms crossed and his face almost at a scowl.

Leon was taken aback for a moment, but recovered somewhat, "I just came to tell you that the Major's all right. He just has a few broken fingers."

Dorian mouth twitched a bit, "That's good," he said airily. He brushed passed Leon to sit down on a stool at the kitchen counter.

Leon followed him, eyebrow raised, "You seemed worried about him yesterday."

Dorian shrugged, inspecting his nails."If he doesn't care about me, why should I about him?"

"I... guess," Leon scowled, stepping closer to look at Dorian's face. In the kitchen light, he noticed dark circles under his glazed eyes. "What were you doing, anyway?"

Dorian scowled a bit, "Pardon?"

"Yesterday? The leopard?" At Dorian's shrug, Leon continued, "The Major thinks you have something to do with it, but I doubt it."

"It doesn't really matter, does it?" Dorian looked away from him, "It's not like you could convince that man about anything."

"Look, listen," Leon put himself in Dorian's line of vision, "I know you're probably pissed off at the Major--I would be too, since he can be a serious asshole," he searched Dorian's unchanging countenance for a moment, "but I think you're in danger, here. Both of you and the Major."

"Why's that?" Dorian raised his eyebrows.

"D. You led Klaus to the pet shop, but D's shop does things to people." He watched Dorian's expression again, but there was still nothing. "I may not know _what_ it is that he's doing, but you and the Major were both tricked. He probably wanted to kill the Major for all we know!"

Dorian blinked, "You're a bit off your rocker, aren't you?"

"The Major was attacked by a god damn leopard yesterday--you saw it! Shit like this has happened before!"

"It was a wild animal, Detective. You should be surprised that it didn't attack any of us before," Dorian rolled his eyes, turning away on his stool.

Leon again walked to face him, this time going close to his face--close enough so that Dorian shirked away, startled. "Are you on drugs?"

"_Excuse_ me?!"

"Your eyes are all red and dilated--I'm just asking because D's sold people some kind of drug before." Leon stepped away, but still concentrated on his face.

Dorian frowned, "I think you've worn out your welcome, Detective," he got up, walking to the staircase.

"Listen! People have died!" He grabbed Dorian by the shoulder, "Don't take my warning lightly--you've seen what could happen to people you care about."

"I _don't_ care about that man," Dorian said, shrugging off Leon's grip, "and I can see you are as insane as he is."

Leon rolled his eyes, "Whatever. Just take back whatever you've bought from that pet shop--or better yet, let me do it so you never have to step foot in there again." His eyes widened, "Hold on--maybe that phoenix thing has something to do with this..."

Leon started up the stairs, brushing past Dorian who followed him immediately after. "Where do you think you're going?!"

"I just want to see your bird," Leon said, starting down the surprisingly narrow hallway. He opened a few doors, the first one simply a bathroom and the next housing Bonham, who had been disturbed from folding his laundry. "Where you keeping that huge thing, anyway?"

_"Don't step ANY closer!" _Dorian pushed his way passed Leon, startling the latter man. He stopped in front of the next door down, pressing his back against it.

Leon scowled, "Why? What're you keeping in there?"

Dorian scowled right back, "None of your business. You can get out. _Bonham!"_ Dorian's voice was on edge, his pitch raising to a near screech.

Bonham stuck his head out his door, looking tentative, "Yes, m'lord?"

"Let me in," Leon stepped up to Dorian, taken aback when Dorian pressed himself harder against the door, "Come on." When Dorian still did not budge, only gripping the door frame, Leon pried him off the door--a little too easily, as Dorian staggered to the ground. He raised an eyebrow, looking at Dorian, "Shit, didn't mean to do it that hard. Sorry."

Dorian glowered, "Don't you _dare_ go in there."

Smiling smugly at Dorian, Leon swung the door open before looking inside. As soon as he did, his face dropped. A man was chained to the bed posts, naked save for the bed sheets covering his modesty. The man raised his head, looking Leon in the eyes. Leon felt glued to the spot for a moment. A sudden pang jolted in his stomach as he studied the man's tan face. He finally blinked, looking back at Dorian, "Wha..."

_"Get out NOW!" _Dorian pushed passed him once more, this time into the room, slamming the door behind him.

Leon's eyes were still wide when he looked at Bonham, "Hey! Who was that?!"

"Wotcha see?" Bonham asked, finally coming out of his room after watching the scene from there.

"There's a freaking guy in his room!" Leon blinked rapidly, "Holy shit, and if it's who I think it is..." Leon staggered for a moment, "Wait, that's why he was keeping me away! That's our guy!" He shot out of the hallway and down the stairs, still talking to himself. "That's our fucking guy!"

Bonham watched confusedly as he left, flinching as Leon slammed the front door.

_---_

Leon was not really watching Klaus' reactions to his story, as he was still excited about it all himself, driving down to the LAPD as soon as he left Dorian's house. He was rather surprised to see that Klaus' look was merely straight lipped and wide eyed when he was finished. He waited for Klaus' full response.

Klaus, very slowly, took his face into his hand.

"You... don't believe me, do you?" Leon said, quickly back to a scowl.

Klaus sighed, face still in one hand, _"God I want to go home."_

Leon growled, "Gimme a picture of Schaefer--that'll prove it!"

"You don't even know what he fucking looks like?!" Klaus barked, finally looking up.

"Kinda! He has a scar, doesn't he?"

Klaus raised his eyebrows high, leaning back and crossing his arms, "You tell me."

"I will! He had long hair--"

"Schaefer has short hair."

"Could've grown out!" Leon thought again, "He had a scar on his left cheek."

Klaus scowled, "Could it have been the right?"

"I know my lefts from my rights! He was sort of tan, had brown hair," he thought for a moment, "and was _really _good looking."

Klaus grimaced, _"Good looking_ is not a description!"

"Fine! He had a long nose--kind of like yours--big kind of lips, long cheeks... _piercing_ gray eyes..." Leon's words trailed off as he stared at empty space.

"Hm," Klaus rested his chin on his perched fist, now scowling hard, "And you say Lord Gloria's behavior was strange?"

Leon blinked rapidly, "Oh, yeah. You probably would be too if you had a suspected terrorist strapped to your bed, right?"

Klaus paled, putting his face into his hand once more, "I had censored that part from my thoughts."

"Sorry," Leon said lightly, staring off into space again.

"Well, we know where Lord Gloria was yesterday," Klaus looked up, one eyebrow raised at Leon.

Leon shook his head, quickly going into a scowl, "The pet shop. Maybe they weren't just protecting a leopard...?"

Klaus scowled, "I need to see the dimwit for myself. _And_ your supposed Schaefer. Even for that thief, it'd be stretching it to assume that he's helping to hide a suspected terrorist."

Leon raised his eyebrows, "Well, you _do _remember what else we found out, right?" As Klaus raised his own eyebrows, Leon continued, "Censored from your thoughts?"

"Probably."

"The guy's known for sleeping with criminals. I don't suppose you keep tabs on the Earl--you don't know who he knows. And I don't think he was chained to a bed for any other reason."

"Can you stop bringing that part up?" Klaus squinted his eyes shut, scowling hard, "He had been acting normally every other time I've seen him--even after he found out who we were looking for. Why would he act nervous now?"

"Good actor? I caught him off guard?"

Klaus stared at the ground, though his eyes eventually wandered to the cast on his arm. He sighed, "That idiot..." Not noticing Leon perk up, Klaus got up from his chair, "What reason would D have for hiding a terrorist?" He put on his jacket, beginning to leave the room.

Leon followed, "That's what we'll have to find out, right? Believe me, though, nothing that guy does makes sense."

Klaus growled, "Damn it. I never wanted to go back to that creepy shop of his."

They only had to for a moment. When Leon and Klaus arrived at Chinatown--the bright hustle and bustle of the area having worn off Klaus a long time ago--the pet shop was closed for the night. Immediately after, Leon scouted local restaurants.

"I bet he's in here," Leon said for perhaps the fifth time that night as he entered yet another restaurant. Klaus followed with a frown firm in place.

For the first time that night, Leon was right. D was alone, and yet his table was covered in dishes both finished and as of yet untouched. Almost all of his meal appeared to be desserts. Klaus' blood began to boil when D looked up with a smile.

"What an unexpected surprise--" D was cut off as Klaus threw D's table on its side, sending the dishes crashing, including the one D was still in the middle of finishing. D's look turned considerably darker.

"If I were you, I wouldn't even consider taking a pleasant tone with me," Klaus took D's chair and shook it, prompting the latter man to stand. "If I had my way I'd feed you to your precious damn animals. Consider this polite of me."

D's smirk was a particularly icy one. "Will do."

"Care to answer why Lord Gloria is housing a suspected terrorist?"

D scowled, "How on _earth_ do you expect me to have any idea with whom Lord Gloria associates with or not? I'm not his keeper."

"Well, let's see--maybe the fact that you two planned the heist of an exotic animal together gave us a bit of a clue."

"Totally unrelated," D crossed his arms.

Klaus pushed D to a wall, grabbing his silk gown by the neck, easily lifting D off the ground with one hand. "If you both can concoct a plan to lure me into the dark and kill me, I think you both can hide a criminal. Your shop is certainly big enough to hold him."

"Detective Orcot's paranoid theories have thoroughly rubbed off on you, Major; quite a shame, really. You seemed to be a rational man before."

"Yes, well, I've walked in his shoes," he held up his cast for emphasis. He tightened his grip on the silk fabric. "Lord Gloria was in your shop just yesterday. He could've been there for the rest of the day as far as we know."

"But he wasn't," D said, rolling his eyes.

"Then what did he do? Where did he go? He had to mention something."

"I suspect he went home."

"And why do you suspect that?"

D scowled, "It's an assumption. You did give him a good scare, after all," he gave Klaus a strange stare that, for a moment, broke the Major's concentration. "Oh, and I sold him a pet."

Leon perked up, "What kind of pet?"

"Well, I'd tell you, my dear detective, but I'm afraid this brute is nearly choking me to death." Leon looked over at Klaus. Slowly, Klaus loosened his grip until D had both feet back on the ground. D sighed, straightening his gown back but finding that the silk of fabric had been wrinkled to all hell by Klaus' fist. He scowled, "Somewhat better, I suppose."

"Talk," Leon said, grabbing a nearby chair and pushing it towards D.

D sat down, though with a frown, "Lord Gloria bought an incubus."

"A what-a-wus?"

"An incubus."

"Ridiculous is what it is," Klaus sighed, "We're not going to find any answers here anytime soon."

"Shut it," Leon said, pulling up a chair himself, _"You_ don't know how to talk to him."

"You're not always better, Detective," D said, though it was with a slight smile.

Leon rolled his eyes, "Whatever. Go on about the..." he motioned in the air in place of words.

"Incubus," D said, rolling his eyes once more. "They're demons that--"

"I didn't come here for a damn fantasy story," Klaus began making his way out of the restaurant, "If he doesn't want to talk, I'll just go to the thief's hideout and see Schaefer for myself." The door slammed behind Klaus, the vibrations causing a painting to crash to the ground.

Leon watched him leave with a scowl, "Sorry about him."

D's eyebrows raised, "You're apologizing for him now?"

Leon blushed slightly, "I guess. I just sort of understand where he's coming from."

"You understand that stressed out, temperamental, thick-headed, brutish man of the law?" D smiled, "I'm not surprised."

While Leon was originally going to keep asking about the incubus, he was very quickly distracted when the owner of the restaurant came out, appalled by the state of D's table. He immediately offered D and Leon both a new table, and Leon could not resist the offer of a free dinner.

_---_

Klaus, once again, easily burst through Dorian's front door. This time it disturbed Bonham, who quickly came down the stairs at his arrival.

"Major," Bonham said, immediately walking down to him, "Thank God yer 'ere!"

Klaus raised his eyebrows for a moment, "What?"

"_You_ can knock some sense into 'im," Bonham looked up the stairs, "M'lord isn't acting like _'imself._"

"I heard," Klaus was back to scowling, "So you don't have anything to do with this whole thing, I suppose?"

Bonham tipped his head, "What whole thing?"

"Never mind," Klaus pushed passed Bonham, going up the stairs. _"You'd better have your damn pants on when I get in there!" _Klaus was taken aback upon seeing Cinder, crouched at the bedroom door and scratching. "What are you doing?"

Cinder looked up, eyes full of tears, "He hasn't been out in forever!"

"Out of my way. And for god's sake get off the ground, you're acting like a child," Klaus grimaced at the boy before turning his attention on the door, "If you don't come out of there, idiot, I'm coming in!" He tried the door, finding it locked. He pounded on the door, stopping short when it opened. He stepped back as Dorian came out, hurriedly shutting the door behind him.

"What do you want?" Dorian pressed his back up against the door. He was covered by a long robe, gripping it nervously.

"I want you to let me into that room, dimwit. What in the hell do you think you've gotten yourself into?!"

"I'm sorry, who are you?"

Klaus saw white for a moment. He blinked rapidly, "Who the _fuck_ do you think I am?! Stop playing games, you idiot!"

Dorian only blinked, pressing himself harder against the door by the minute, looking like a cornered animal. Klaus finally began to take in his appearance.Dorian's face was gaunt and sallow, his brow marked with sweat. The twinkle that was usually in his eyes was replaced by a dead emptiness Klaus had never seen in him before, his blue eyes appearing to suck up any reflections or light that came to them. His grip on his robe shook and his legs wobbled, as if it took most of his strength to perform the two actions. Even his golden curls had looked more limp and thin, a complete mess on his head.

At this point Bonham had come up behind him, though Klaus only vaguely noticed, speaking to no one in particular, "Is he down with a fever...?" He grabbed Dorian's shoulder, causing the other man to jolt violently.

"Stop it. Go away," Dorian tried to pry himself out of Klaus' grasp, but it was done so weakly that Klaus hardly budged.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! You look like you're about to pass out."

"'m not. Leave me alone, will you?" He tried shirking out of his grasp again.

Slowly, Klaus let him fall out of his grip, letting his hand go limp to his side. His scowl melted into a frown.

Dorian looked all around for a moment before spotting Bonham. "You..." he muttered.

"Bonham, sir," Bonham looked about ready to cry.

"Don't let anyone else inside, would you?" Dorian turned back toward the door, not taking a second glance back at either of the two men before slipping himself back into his room.

Klaus stared at the door for a long moment, "He needs a hospital."

"It wasn't even that bad hours ago!" Bonham said, "'e was just a bit tired looking--depressed and cooped up in his room. I can't even tell ya where this came from!"

"Has he been taking drugs recently?" Klaus still stared at the door.

"God, no. "'asn' even 'ad so much as a cold pill."

"Has he been eating properly?"

"Like a 'orse!"

Klaus scowled, "Is that typical?"

"Not at all! M'lord usually watches 'is weight."

"Has he eaten anything bad, then?"

"Not to me knowledge," Bonham shrugged, shaking his head, "Don't you think I've been askin' m'self the same things?"

Klaus still stared at the door, until he finally blinked. He pried his eyes away, taking to staring at the ground in front of him, "Take him to the doctor."

"If I can get him out of the damned room, I will!" Bonham followed him to the door, "I swear, though, I got a funny feelin' 'bout this. M'lord's never gotten as sick as _this._"

Klaus nodded discreetly. He left the house, and by mechanism brought himself to his--Leon's--car. He shook his head, lighting up a cigarette and taking a long drag from it. He watched the smoke gather in front of him, his thoughts crawling at a snails pace. It took him a long moment to realize that he had not even seen Schaefer, and it took a longer moment still to realize that he was not about to go back in order to do so. It was at least twenty minutes before he finally started the car and left.

His thoughts still came slowly the next day. He stared at his coffee cup, not even nodding to Leon's rant about how he had to call Jill in order to be driven home last night.

"--I know I just let you leave but _shit,_ man, I figured you'd come back after a few hours!"

"What?" Klaus said suddenly.

Leon raised an eyebrow, "What happened last night, anyway?"

Klaus scowled, taking a sip of coffee before speaking. "Something's wrong," he grit his teeth, "and that chinaman has something to do with it." Klaus and Leon both stared at their coffee until Klaus spoke again. "I need something to drink."

"Seriously? It's eight in the morning..." Leon said, watching as Klaus got up from his seat.

"I'm going to need something if I'm going to talk to that infuriating crossdresser again--"

"Who might you be talking about, Major?"

Klaus stopped in his tracks, swinging around to find D, who had snuck up behind Leon and was now clasping his shoulder.

"Would you stop doing that?!" Leon said, rubbing his shoulders as a shiver went up his spine.

"I'm sorry, it's hard to resist," D held out a styrofoam box in front of him, "You forgot your doggie bag."

"Oh, thanks," Leon blushed, quickly avoiding Klaus' glare by turning his seat around.

Klaus glared at D, so D stared back for a moment before smiling. "Good morning, Major."

Klaus grunted, sitting back down on his seat, "Sit."

D complied, sitting on a chair next to Leon. He folded his hands in his lap, smiling this time with a particularly childish, carefree air. Klaus scowled harder.

"What did you sell Lord Gloria?" Klaus asked flatly.

D's smile melted more into his usual smirk, "An incubus, like I said."

"And you said it was a..." Klaus now motioned in place of words.

"A demon?" D's smile widened, "A demon that typically preys on women, although it takes anything it can get."

Klaus' line tightened into a firm line. Finding it harder to speak, he forced out his next words, _"Preys?"_

"Yes. Like most demons, an incubus feeds of the energy--or if you want to get more spiritual, the _souls--_of humans. Incubi, though, feed off the specific sexual energy of humans."

Klaus stared for a long time at D. "You expect me to believe this?"

"Simply answering your questions, Major," D shrugged, "You can take it however you wish to, I suppose."

Klaus frowned, "Why would Lord Gloria want to buy a demon?"

"One can't typically tell between an incubi and a human. They disguise themselves when they have enough energy to, or as an emergency--when there's potential prey around them, they use their stored energy. Only when they've lost a significant amount energy do they lose their disguises and revert back to their true form."

Leon turned his chair back to look at Klaus, "Schaefer lived with women."

"He slept with criminals," Klaus said, his tone tight. He sighed curtly, a scowl slowly forming as he looked back at D, "Why criminals?"

"Well, it's as simple as having different tastes and preferences, of course," as Klaus raised an eyebrow, D continued, "You can't expect the soul of a criminal to be the same as the soul of a saint. In fact, maybe that's why this one has survived for so long. If you have a preference for a pure heart, that's much harder to find. But if you prey on the tainted soul, there's plenty in supply."

Klaus sighed deeply this time, his eyes wide. He rested his chin in his hand. "A demon."

"Just call it an incubus."

"And the idiot _wanted_ this?!" He growled, slamming his fist on a nearby desk. "That stupid dimwit let his selfish, perverted ways get the best of him."

D's smirk widened, "Well, only if you like to _think_ of it that way..."

Leon scowled at D, "How dangerous is this thing, anyway?"

_"Well, _most survive a single encounter--they're just a little lightheaded afterwards, or perhaps exhausted. And if the incubus has a consistent energy supply, then really you could survive plenty of encounters and only be left a little dizzy after intercourse."

Leon's scowl did not let up, "Exceptions to this?"

"If the incubus needs energy. Lots of it. For instance, if it had a mortal injury and needed to recover."

"And would that be the situation _now?"_

"Well, yes. Really, Lord Gloria_ should _be fine so long as he follows the rules. So long as he feeds it slowly and doesn't unchain it--that would be disastrous." D shrugged once more.

"That idiot would deserve it," Klaus muttered.

Leon scowled, "No, he wouldn't. He was _tricked,_ after all," he directed his scowl at D.

"Lord Gloria _knew_ what he wanted," D said, grimacing a bit.

Klaus rolled his shoulders for a moment, "Well, I suppose that means I'm done with my mission. I'm going to declare Schaefer dead and move on."

"What?!" Leon shot up from his seat, "You can't be serious."

"I'm very serious." Klaus got up to face him, "My mission's done. Schaefer's a damn creature of _myth and lore._ I could call him the wolfman or a fairy and it wouldn't matter--I'll just call him dead and make things easier for everyone."

"I'm talking about the Earl! You're going to let him get killed?!"

"If the damn thief wants to get killed, that's none of my concern. The idiot's gotten himself into this mess--_he_ can deal with it when it comes to bite him in the ass. And _for once,_ it's got shit to do with me, and I'm _ecstatic_ for that fact. I'm taking my chance and packing home now before it does involve me. In fact, I've already reaped the consequences for getting involved with that thief here, haven't I?!"

Leon frowned, but stepped back, "You're unbelievable. You've known him for _fifteen_ years."

"Means shit."

"My ass! Grow some balls--don't act like you don't care! Forget your precious masculinity for a second. A man's life is on the line."

"Then _you_ do something about it. You're the one that wants to get him behind bars, isn't it?" He nodded toward D, who was watching the exchange from his seat.

"I fucking will then." He watched Klaus as he left, yelling after him, "And I'm fucking glad you're leaving, by the way--someone who doesn't give a shit about anyone shouldn't be working to protect people!" The door slammed. Leon collapsed in his seat, "I can't believe he just did that."

"Really?" D said mildly.

Leon scowled at D, "We're going to Lord Gloria's."

"Perhaps after tea?" D said, rising.

"No--now," Leon got up as well, taken aback when D grabbed his arm, gripping his shirt sleeve.

"Tea _first."_ D said, a smile still in place

"Er, sure? Can I ask why you're being so damn insistent?"

"Later." D allowed himself to be led out of the room until Leon shrugged him off.


	8. Deference

Alphabets A, B and Z were very relieved and very happy to hear they were done with the mission, all too homesick and stressed to speculate about the circumstances too much. After ordering plane tickets, they went down to the hotel bar to celebrate.

Klaus tried to sleep. He _wanted_ to sleep. Instead his mind wrestled with itself. The wave of realization that everything that D said somehow made sense--given the circumstances--had hit him long before, and yet he was still reeling. He stayed in bed, watching the ceiling above him form shadows, provided by the glow behind the blinds of his windows. As well, an unsettling feeling created a storm in the pit of his gut. He held on to his will to forget the whole thing--any other alternative risked his sanity. It was not until late afternoon that he decided he needed a drink.

It was dark in the living area of his hotel room, but immediately his heart gave a start at a large shadow standing at the other side of the room from him. He switched on the lights, nearly crashing down on his knees at the sight in front of him. A huge, black dog was in his hotel room.

"Wha..." Klaus quickly got up, scowling hard, "Where's the chinaman? I know you're probably in here too!"

No one answered. The dog stared at him with its strange, bulging eyes, putting the Major off immensely. A moment later, a knock came from the door.

Klaus shot up, swinging the door open. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?!"

D smiled, looking back at Leon, "I had a feeling I was right." Leon only looked confused, though he scowled at Klaus. D and he both stepped inside, D's face lighting up with a smile.

"What the fuck are you playing at? Why is there a damn dog in my room?! Take it back to your freaky pet shop!"

"Well, if only it would comply. I'm afraid my shisa is acting up again--it only does this once in a while, though," D walked to stand next to the great dog, looking a good deal smaller just by comparison to the large dog. He ran his long fingers through its thick, inky hair.

"I don't care. Take the damn thing away."

"Oh, no. Only if it wants to be taken away."

Klaus growled, "It's a damn dog! You're supposed to order it around."

"Major, this isn't a normal _house pet,_" D scoffed, "He's much more than that."

"Not this shit again..." Klaus at last sat down on an armchair, farthest away from D and the dog.

"Shisa serve a special purpose--they feed on demonic energy."

Leon blinked, "I thought that dog looked familiar. That's the one Mertz took back, isn't it?" At D's nod, Leon scowled, "Then why would Schaefer buy it if he himself is a... demon?" Leon choked out the last word, uncomfortable at saying it aloud.

"The dog kept appearing before Mertz. Shisa appear before their chosen masters--usually they choose someone who's in direct contact with a demon. It chose Mertz, and kept appearing before him. They kept taking it back to me, but after being fed up with this particular shisa following them around everywhere, Schaefer and Mertz both just decided to simply buy the dog," D smiled, putting a finger to his mouth, "Did I neglect to mention that?"

"Just a bit!" Leon collapsed on a couch next to Klaus, "Schaefer didn't know what this thing was?"

"Of course not. Just because an incubus lives a few thousand years doesn't mean it's fully equipped to be ready for all challenges. This incubus comes from western Europe--the shisa is from China. All this incubus knows of danger is in the form of priests and crosses."

Leon scratched his head, "So this _thing_ eats demons? Then why didn't it just eat Schaefer? You said it appeared multiple times."

D smiled, "The Shisa is a loyal animal. It will only feast on demonic souls should their master want them to."

"And Mertz had no idea what that thing is or what Schaefer was," Leon leaned back on the couch, eyes wide. "So when Mertz and Schaefer had their fight..."

"If Mertz felt at all threatened, then this dog would attack." Klaus said at last.

"But he survived?" Leon's eyes became wide, "Mertz found him in the bushes... this dog attacked him in the alleyway?!

D nodded "Quite possibly, Mertz's feelings were only temporary. Once he stopped feeling threatened by Schaefer, the shisa had to stop attacking. The incubus got away lucky."

Klaus scowled hard at the dog's stern face. "Why is this monster appearing before _me_ and not Lord Gloria?"

D scoffed, "Lord Gloria is far too gone for the shisa to detect him."

"Fine. But _why_ is it appearing before _me?"_

D's smile faded a bit, "Maybe you should tell us that yourself."

Klaus' scowl furthered, "Thought you had all the damn answers."

"Only if you want me to give you my assumptions--and you won't like those," D ran a hand down the dog's back, "Like most animals, the shisa is intuitive--thin disguises put up by humans are absolutely nothing to it. It senses it can get to the demonic energy easiest through you."

"So it's using me?" Klaus snorted.

"Think of it as payment. You get what you want and it gets what it wants." D tipped his head, "Of course, again, considering how far gone Lord Gloria is and to what extent he's being consumed, and depending on just _what_ you do want, it may just attack him instead. The incubus gives back just as much energy as it takes away--of course, it's bad energy for humans to survive on. The shisa will take whatever demonic energy it can." Leon looked quickly over to Klaus, who had paled considerably. D smiled, "Choose wisely, I suppose."

Klaus gripped his knees for a moment. He looked from D to the dog, his scowl and frown firmly set on his face. "Are you telling me this dog won't leave me alone, then?"

"Not likely." D said, watching him with a peculiar glint in his eye.

"Come on, man," Leon sighed gruffly, putting his face into his hands, "You can't tell me you would attack the Earl." When Klaus' expression did not change, Leon scowled, "You're kidding me."

_"Look," _Klaus growled, "You wouldn't be saying shit if you had a nitwit following you around everywhere. _He's_ the one that brought this all on me anyway! I wouldn't have to be in this damn situation right now."

"Yeah, but you're saying you would kill him?!"

"I don't _know_ what I would do," Klaus huffed, falling back against the back of his chair, "I'm still not fully convinced that this idiot is in any trouble at all. We're talking about fairytales and ghosts--you can't expect me to believe every word this nutter is spewing out!" He pointed at D, who was watching the exchange with a bored look on his face.

"I don't know if I believe it either! You think I'm eating up all of this crock?! All I know is that if _he's_ got something to do with it, your Earl here is in deep shit."

Klaus again looked to the dog and D. Finally he got up with a huff, "Damn it."

Leon shot up, "So are we going?"

"Shut up!" Klaus opened the door and began down the hallway.

Leon followed, scowling, "Well it'd be good if I knew where you were going--"

"I'm going!" He looked back for a moment, "But not for that idiot! To get rid of the fucking dog!"

Leon smiled brightly, looking back at D from the doorway, only to frown again, "Where did the dog go?"

D smiled, "He'll be there."

---

Bonham was beginning to look as bad as Dorian, his own face becoming gaunt. He spoke, even though Klaus brushed right passed him as soon as he opened the door, "I took him to the doctor," he followed the party up the stairs, "Said nothing was wrong with him and he just needed bed rest! M'lord just went back to his room, worse than ever--"

Klaus pounded on the door, "Lord Gloria?" He tried the door, which was unsurprisingly locked. He pounded some more, "Eroica?!" He put an ear up against the door, cursing slightly when he heard only muffled, indistinguishable noises. He pounded some more. "Dorian?! Shit!"

He began ramming the door with his shoulder. When that didn't succeed, he kicked it three times before it finally gave way.

Just as the door was broken open, a loud scream pierced the air. Dorian was sprawled next to the bed on the floor, Schaefer on top of him, the latter man's face dug into the crook of Dorian's neck. Klaus froze for a moment, pale, watching Dorian and Schaefer writhe. He scowled, gripping the door knob so hard his hand began to shake.

The black dog appeared in the room, walking in from the shadows, though Klaus didn't notice.

Klaus' eyes managed to break away and wandered to the bed posts. The chains had been undone. As soon as his eyes shot back down, Schaefer looked up at them--his eyes red, sharp fangs exposed and a trail of blood dribbling down the side of his mouth. Dorian was now motionless.

Klaus emitted a choking noise, though very quickly a fiery heat surged through him at the sight of the demon, swallowing the blood casually and turning back to his feast.

The black dog leaped, so fast that Klaus fell back at the sight. The room filled with a howl as the dog impaled his blunt teeth into the demon's jugular and dragged it away from Dorian to the middle of the room.

Klaus crawled toward Dorian quickly, limbs shaking and wobbling. "Oh God," he breathed as he saw that Dorian was still breathing, though shallowly, as thick blood trailed down from the hole in his throat. His eyes were wide, staring at Klaus as he made his way closer. Dorian lips moved slightly, only gurgling out dark blood. "Don't speak," Klaus said, his voice shallow, "I'm such an idiot. Just because I hesitated--let myself believe that it wouldn't be as bad as this." He wiped some hair which stuck to Dorian's face. His face was paper white, though the light was back in his eyes, his eyes eerily blue amidst the red blood speckled across his face. "You'll be fine--you always are. You must have four or five lives left by now." Dorian's mouth twitched before he closed his eyes. "Fuck," Klaus breathed, putting his face into his hand, "Don't die because of me, you idiot."

Behind him, he heard wings flutter and D's voice shouting. When he lifted his head, Cinder was squeezing his own slit wrist, letting the blood fall on Dorian's open wound.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Klaus grabbed Cinder's wrist, wrenching it away.

Cinder smiled, "It's okay. He'll be happier without me around." His wrist bled profusely, though it was only a small wound.

"What are you talking about?!" Klaus jolted back when the boy went limp, falling sideways. Klaus looked back at the door, "Get a medic if you idiots haven't already called one!"

"A medic's not going to help anything!" D shouted, for once looking perturbed as he made his way over to Klaus. He crouched down to pick up the boy, though looked over at Dorian for a moment. He rolled his eyes and grimaced, "Especially not him." He took Cinder's body, bustling out of the room.

Klaus scowled, ready to say something until he looked back at Dorian, who had stirred. Dorian's hand hesitantly went up to his neck, feeling the wound. Klaus held his wrist back, but watched as the wound slowly stopped bleeding. A clot began to form. His eyes wandered back to Dorian, who's expression was wide-eyed, but very much alive as he stretched his neck back, writhing and twitching.

"Calm down," Klaus said in a breath, "You're all right. Perfectly."

Klaus finally looked back, but quickly brought his attention back to Dorian. The dog was currently ripping out some part of the incubus, which had turned into a black, scaly and very much dead creature.

---

Leon, Bonham and Klaus were completely silent in the waiting room of the hospital. An hour in, Klaus finally spoke, though he still stared down at the ground, "He came back to life."

Leon blinked, looking up tiredly, "What?" Bonham looked up as well.

Klaus shook his head, instantly regretting he had spoke, "He was dead. I was too late. And then that boy--"

"What boy?" Both Bonham and Leon spoke at once, looking at each other confusedly for a moment.

Klaus scowled, "What do you mean 'what boy?!' The boy who Lord Gloria has been with all this time!"

Bonham raised an eyebrow, "There was no boy, Major."

Leon eyes widened, "Could this be the same guy from the day we went to Mertz's apartment?"

"Yes! It was him!" Klaus blinked rapidly, "You didn't see him being carried away?"

Leon scowled, "By D?" at Klaus' nod, Leon gulped, "Uh... that was a bird."

"No it bloody wasn't."

"It was," Bonham put in, only to stiffen when Klaus sent him a glare.

"You're both mad." Klaus slumped in his seat, crossing his arms. "But that wasn't the point, either way."

They all shot up out of their seats when the doctor came towards them.

"He'll be fine," the Doctor blinked, a bit taken aback, "The wound on his neck luckily was minor--and it seems to be healing fantastically! He has a few scratches and is pretty exhausted, but other than that he's free to go home and get some bed rest."

Leon and Bonham both looked at each other confusedly, but Klaus simply followed the doctor. Though he already knew Dorian was all right, he was still startled to see the man sitting at the edge of his hospital bed--which obviously served no purpose after Bonham had thoughtfully ordered it for him, along with a private room. Dorian had a bandage around his neck, along with a few down his arms, but for all that he only looked a bit wan. He was dressed in clothes that Bonham had brought for him, and it looked like he had taken the time to comb through his hair.

Klaus felt a strange rush go through him as Dorian smiled at him, though Dorian's look quickly dropped. "Oh, Major," he said, "I'm so sorry."

Klaus blinked, "About what?"

Dorian looked at him incredulously, "Your hand! You're all bandaged up."

Klaus looked down at his cast, "Oh, that." Klaus pulled up a chair to sit across from Dorian.

Dorian still frowned, "I really am sorry about it--I had no idea about any of it," he laughed slightly, "In fact I just about had a heart attack, hearing you scream like that..." Dorian turned away slightly, batting his eyes quickly of sudden tears.

Klaus scowled at him, "Do you know how many days ago that was?"

Dorian blinked, his eyes furrowing confusedly. "I was hoping you could tell me that, actually."

Klaus tried to remember himself, "Three days ago. I think. Seems longer, really..."

"Major? Are you all right?" Dorian seemed to brace himself, "You're acting strangely nice to me. Not that I mind." He flashed a quick smile, which gave Klaus' stomach a lurch.

Klaus shook his head, "Just tell me what you remember. About anything."

"Well..." Dorian scowled, resting his chin on his hand, "I can't make head or tail of any of it, really. Sort of like a dream--just bits and pieces. It wasn't an entirely nice dream, either." As Dorian spoke, Klaus made his way from the chair to the edge of the bed to sit next to him, carefully a foot away. "What I definitely remember clearly is..." Dorian grimaced, "Well, you know."

"What?" Klaus said, leaning back a bit.

"Well... when you, uh, choked me." Dorian laughed, "Thought for sure you'd remember that."

Klaus leaned forward again, scowling, "Right."

"Anyway. I remember D..." Dorian raised an eyebrow, "Did he sell me another pet? I don't remember what it was if he did," he looked at Klaus, but when he didn't supply an answer, Dorian went on, "Anyway, whatever else I remember after that is completely distorted." He looked back at Klaus, swinging his head so quickly that his hair swiped Klaus in the face. Dorian held his mane back, "Sorry," he again looked to brace himself, watching Klaus carefully.

Klaus blinked, "You smell good."

Dorian blushed, laughing nervously, "Are you kidding? I smell horrid. Like I haven't bathed for days or something."

Klaus shrugged, "I don't mind it."

Dorian scowled, putting a hand against Klaus' forehead, "You must have a fever or something..."

"I'm fine," Klaus said, shirking away from Dorian's touch. "You're the one who can't remember anything."

"Well then maybe you should tell me about it. I don't even know why _you're_ here right now, really. Though I hardly mind."

Klaus sat up straighter, bracing his hands to the side. He looked at Dorian's expectant smile before he spoke, "I don't think you really need to know about it right now."

Dorian scowled, "Oh, come on, now. You're talking about three days of a man's life here--gone!"

"Two days more like," Klaus looked away from him, staring ahead, "You didn't miss anything good."

"Tell me _something _at least. At least why you're being so damn nice to me--I don't want to get to used to it."

"Why not?" Klaus said with a shrug, "Maybe you should."

Dorian looked genuinely put off. "That'll be hard, I think. I may just have to be mean to you--don't think I can go without you yelling at me once in a while."

Klaus scowled. "Don't complain about me being _nice_ to you, idiot."

Dorian smiled widely, "Fine. Then I'll just milk it for all it's worth."

While Klaus braced himself for something a lot more, Dorian simply shifted closer, putting his hand over Klaus'. He leaned into Klaus' shoulder after a moment. Klaus froze stiff.

"What are you planning?" Klaus finally said with a huff, though he didn't move an inch.

Dorian chuckled, "Nothing." He gave a great sigh, "I'm too tired to do more, to be perfectly honest." He paused for a moment, then let out a keening noise, "I'm getting _old."_

Awkwardly, Klaus wriggled his hand free to pat Dorian's hand. "That's not exactly why you're tired." Hesitantly, he let the hand back down again, laying it on Dorian's.

"Don't tease me about it," Dorian looked up, "Promise to tell me about it later, at least."

Klaus turned his head to look at Dorian, not realizing how close his face would be. Their noses practically touched. He shot up from his spot quickly, "That's enough of _that."_

Dorian frowned, "Are we back to the old Klaus?"

Klaus shook his head quickly, wiping his hand on his pants. "No. Not all."

"Are you _sure?_"

"Very," Klaus turned ahead, but reached his hand back toward Dorian. When Dorian grabbed it, he pulled him forward, walking him out of the room.

Dorian staggered a bit before he was in pace with Klaus, walking down the hall of the hospital. "A bit rough, but more gentlemanly than your usual style, for sure."

A moment later, Dorian's knees gave way. Klaus grabbed one of his shoulders but mostly fell with him, grunting as they hit a wall. He held Dorian up, "You all right?"

"Wonderful!" Dorian's knees were suddenly all better, as he shot up, pecking Klaus on the lips. He watched the other man's wide-eyed expression for a moment through his eyelashes. "Milking it for all its worth." He gave a great smile and then skipped out of Klaus' grasp, bounding down the hallway.

After taking a very long time to inspect a tile on the floor, Klaus shook his head, "Definitely not myself. Definitely not..." He took his time to follow where Dorian had gone, feeling a knot develop in his stomach as soon as he entered the waiting room to see him there. Though he had his hands full with Bonham, who had taken to sobbing in the middle of their embrace, he gave a side-long look to Klaus as he entered the room.

Leon clapped a hand on his shoulder, "So I guess you're packing off for home?"

Klaus promptly jumped out of his skin, wriggling out of Leon's loose grasp. He swung around to look at Leon, both men wide eyed. Klaus quickly cleared his throat, looking away, "Yes, I suppose so."

"Listen, I just wanted to tell you that you did the right thing," Leon spoke a bit lower, "It's pretty rare when anything involving D ends well."

Klaus scowled, "Where did he go, anyway?"

Leon rolled his eyes, "I dunno. Probably back to his pet shop. He was freaking out over that_ bird_ of his," both men scowled at each other, "I don't know why he was freaking out. He said phoenixes come back to life," he shrugged, "I guess that one isn't."

Klaus blinked, looking back at Dorian for a split second before turning back to Klaus, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Leon sighed, "Me neither," he glanced at Dorian himself for a moment, raising an eyebrow, "Do you think you should leave him alone? You should probably watch him for a bit."

_"What are you suggesting?!" _Klaus bristled up, but quickly buckled back down, turning away to hide a quickly spreading blush, only to have to face Dorian, to which he turned back. He willed the redness away, but it did not work. "At most I'll escort the idiot back to his house. I don't want him making detours to anymore bloody pet shops."

Leon raised an eyebrow, "Wow. Really?"

_"Yes, really! And that's all I'll do!"_

The two stared at each other. It was Leon's turn to clear his throat, "Well, I guess this is it then."

Klaus sighed, relaxing at the subject change. "Detective." He put his hand out to shake.

Leon took it, smiling widely, "Maybe I'll get around to visiting Germany someday."

Klaus snorted, "You'd have to find it on the map first."

Dorian clicked his tongue, walking up to the two, "That's not a very nice way to treat your friend, Klaus. May I call you Klaus now?"

Klaus' face burned, "Don't you dare!"

Dorian pouted, "Oh dear, you're back to yelling. It was fun while it lasted, though." Dorian smiled brightly at Leon, "Take care of your Count, dear."

Leon scowled, "Will do," he nodded to Klaus, "And you take care of this guy. Show him some fun once in a while."

Dorian laughed, "Oh, _I will!"_

"We're leaving now!" Klaus bolted down the hallway, though he dragged Dorian behind him by the arm.

Dorian waved, blowing a kiss in the air. "Good bye, Detective! I hope our paths cross again!"

Leon waved back, watching the group exit the hospital with a crooked smile. He laughed to himself as he left the hospital himself, "_God,_ I hope I don't become as sexually confused as that guy someday!"

Though Klaus again scrunched his nose at the smell of pollution in the air once he got outside of the hospital, and he was exhausted, starving and had been irritated and emotionally spent for the entire day, he was surprised to find that his lightheadedness was not coming from a place of stress. He allowed himself a glance at Dorian, who flashed a smile, looking a bit giddy. Klaus quickly pinned the surge of pleasure he felt at a mission completed and done with.

-End-

_I'd like to thank anyone who read and enjoyed my story, regardless if you finished to the end or not--I understand if you didn't, but if you did, you deserve a special thanks for your patience! For anyone wondering, my four month hiatus was a loss of inspiration. I started school again and wasn't writing at all. Oh, and I got super into Batman, so all of my nerd energy was concentrated on that. I only got around to finishing the story because I felt it truly needed to be finished. It was a crossover idea so perfect that it really deserved an ending. I enjoyed writing it, regardless of any pains I went through in the process of putting it all together._

_Special thanks to MoselleGreen, who beta-read the first five chapters of this fic for me._


	9. Epilogue: Dense

D sighed deeply. He was used to pets dying, and usually accepted it as nature, but it was always so much more depressing when it was the direct fault of human intervention. Though Cinder chose to give up his life, it was frustrating beyond belief that it had to be for _that_ human, who was self-centered enough to get himself into trouble in the first place.

In his mourning, he was not as happy to see Leon walk into his pet shop that day. "Hello, Detective," he said drearily, pouring another cup of tea.

Leon raised an eyebrow, "What's up with you?"

D scoffed, "I think you know already."

"What? Pissed that you didn't get to kill the Earl?" Leon sat down heavily on the couch next to D.

D stuck his nose up in the air, "Not so much as _that. _That was a young phoenix--it shouldn't have given up its life so early."

"I thought you said those things were pretty much immortal, though."

"Not when they sacrifice themselves. Cinder bled to death and left a body behind. He accepted his death, and so it came," D scowled, angrily biting a scone.

"Why would he do that?"

D sighed, "I suppose he thought Lord Gloria's life was _worth it_ or something. He had to give up his life in order for him to live."

"Don't sound too bitter about it," Leon raised his eyebrows, "If you didn't want any of this to happen, why did you let that dog go to the Major?"

D rolled his eyes, "You really are dense, aren't you?" He ignored Leon's scowl, "My animals do as they wish. The incubus wanted to consume Lord Gloria; my shisa wanted to consume the incubus. Whatever the outcome was would be what nature intended."

"But not the phoenix sacrificing itself?"

D thought, scoffing after a moment. "I _guess_ if you put it that way."

Leon smiled widely, "Ha! I just made you eat your own words!"

"Oh, shut up about it," D crossed his legs, "Nature or not, Lord Gloria was hardly worth saving. Cinder only did it because he was young and naive. He couldn't see what type of person Lord Gloria really is."

Leon scowled again, "Jeez, you really have a problem with that guy, don't you?"

"Just with most people, Detective. There are only a select few who truly deserve a phoenix's second life."

Leon shrugged, "Whatever. _I'm_ just glad I didn't have to see someone die because one of your freaky pets ate them. That's one for justice." He smiled widely.

"Mm, yes, and several for me already," D sipped his tea, eyebrows raised.

Before Leon could register what he had said, there was a fervent knock at D's door. D sighed greatly, getting up to answer. He scowled immediately, not saying a word but simply letting the two bodies in.

"I'm terribly sorry, Count," Dorian walked in, looking all around for a moment, "But I seemed to have lost something important. I've forgotten all about it in all this chaos."

Klaus trailed behind him, glaring at D, who for once glared back. D stepped in front of the both of them, "And what would that be?" he clipped.

"My accountant," Dorian said.

"I don't see why you need that annoying bug back," Klaus said, staying close next to Dorian, "Let this shop _eat him up_ for all I care," he gave a particular glare at D, who merely rolled his eyes.

"Oh, I couldn't possibly abandon James, darling. He's so lost without me."

"I haven't seen anyone in my shop besides the Detective. Perhaps you're mistaken," D went to sit back down.

"No, I'm sure he's here. This was the last place I had him, and he'd so easily get lost in a place like this," Dorian tipped his head, "Please? Just let me look around a bit."

D sighed, "As you wish." He got up from his spot, walking toward just one of the shop's many hallways. The party followed, including Leon.

"I suppose we said our good byes too early," Dorian said with a large smile, looking over to Leon.

"How do you forget an entire person, exactly?"

Dorian shrugged, sheepishly, _"Well,_ maybe I thought it was slightly convenient that James had disappeared... but he's been gone for far too long, now, I think."

Dorian stepped ahead to follow D more closely while Klaus stayed behind.

"I'm keeping an eye on him," Klaus said before Leon had a chance to speak.

"Right," Leon nodded, though with a smile, "How'd you know he'd be here?"

Klaus thought for a moment, "Went to check on him in the morning. Just to make sure."

"Right. When's your flight, again?"

Klaus shrugged, "In an hour."

"That's about as far LAX is from here."

"What's your point?" Klaus snapped, "I can miss a flight if I want to."

"Right. For a guy you supposedly hate."

_"Again, _your point?!"

Leon shrugged, "Nothing. Just making observations." He smiled widely.

Klaus scowled, "Perverted ones."

"Whoa, I'm not jumping to conclusions," Leon's smile was firm in place. He spoke after a moment of silence, "But I think you know where I'm going with this."

"Let's talk about why _you're _here, everyday, drinking tea with an effeminate crossdresser?"

Leon scowled, "Part of my job. I have to make sure he's not causing trouble for anyone."

"Oh, sure, right. Off-duty."

"I'm dedicated to the job!"

"_Married _to it, one would say."

"Hey, you saw what could happen."

"Yes, when he's in the shop. I don't suppose he attacks many people with leopards while eating dinner at restaurant, does he?"

"You never know!" Their conversation was interrupted as D and Dorian stopped in front of a large door.

"Do you suppose he's in here?" Dorian asked D, looking at the door with wide eyes.

"I have a particular feeling about it," D said, opening the heavy door in a surprising show of strength. He went to the side, allowing the group to walk in.

The room was wide and open, looking much larger than a room should look inside the pet shop. It was sparsely decorated with columns and curtains, but what was more noticeable was the the mountain of treasure, taking up most of the room's space.

_"Holy shit!" _Leon immediately backed up into a wall. To Leon, it appeared as though a dragon as large as a horse--although he convinced himself it was just a very, very big lizard--lay on the pile of treasure, clutching at coins and diamonds in-between its large claws. Its snake-like tongue slithered out of its mouth once in a while, along with a puff of smoke from its nostrils. It was a glittering red. To the rest, it appeared as though a young, muscular man dressed only in a glittering loin cloth lay against the treasure, lazily petting his pile of gold and jewels.

Klaus blinked, then turned around, shaking his head. "I'm waiting outside."

"I'm with ya," Leon squeaked, following him.

"James?" Dorian called out, walking up to the pile.

"Don't touch the treasure," D said, though it was in a tired sort of voice.

Dorian's eyes widened considerably, "Oh, dear. James. What would've happened to him--" Before Dorian could finish his sentence, James burst out of the pile of treasure, a glazed look on his face. He rubbed his face against the coins and jewels before him, hugging the pile to his body. "James!"

James' eyes flicked over to Dorian. He sneered, "Go away!"

"James, please," Dorian reached his hand out, "That young man is probably a very dangerous animal," he looked back at D, "Is he?" At D's curt nod, he turned back to James, "Come now. It's time to go."

_"NEVER!" _James tripped on his way up to the top of the pile, collapsing against the young man, wrapping his arms around his neck. "I found a _lover, _someone who gives me all the treasure I want and doesn't drool over scary Majors in bland suits and doesn't spend frivolously! Someone who helps me count my _money!"_

"He's not your lover, James," Dorian sighed, then thought for a moment, his look stricken, "Oh _God. _Don't tell me you've actually _done_ anything yet."

James glared down at Dorian, "Our love goes _beyond_ that. It may be hard for you to believe, but there are more important things than sex!"

"Like money?"

_"YES. Lots of moneeeeeey," _James slid down the pile, close enough to the point where Dorian could grab him by the neck. "ACK! What're you doing?!"

"Taking you away from here," Dorian began to drag him away.

"NOOOOOO!!!" James attempted to claw the ground, but the floor was a smooth tile and not very good for grabbing. He began to sob, "I only did this because you ignore me for the Major!"

Dorian huffed, "Yes, I'm very sure the pile of gold had absolutely _nothing_ to do with it." He passed D, "Thank you very much. We'll be on our way."

"Please, do be," D flashed an icy smile that Dorian did not quite catch.

James wailed down the hallway, more so when Klaus walked in stride with Dorian. "What's _he_ doing here?!"

"Shut up, you penny-pinching miser!"

"I'll explain later, James," Dorian said, his voice terse.

James' wails did not dissipate in the pet shop until the group was gone completely. Once back to their tea, D sighed, "Perhaps Lord Gloria is not as bad as I thought."

Leon perked up, "What changed your mind?"

"The wailing, mostly." Both men nodded, and the rest of their tea time went uninterrupted.


End file.
